AT&T and others asked about government access

AT&T AND OTHERS ASKED ABOUT GOVERNMENT ACCESS
[SOURCE: Reuters]
The House Commerce Committee asked AT&T, Verizon and Qwest Communications on Tuesday to describe how U.S. government agencies sought to obtain information about customer telephone and Internet use. "If reports about the government surveillance program are accurate, Congress has a duty to inquire about whether such a program violates the Constitution, as well as consumer protection and privacy laws," said House Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell (D-MI). The committee also wants to "examine the difficult position of the phone companies who may have been asked by the government to violate the privacy of their customers without the assurance of liability protections," Chairman Dingell said in a statement. He asked the phone companies to reply by October 12.
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN0241271420071002

* Committee Opens Investigation into Warrantless Wiretapping
[SOURCE: House of Representatives Commerce Committee]
http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_110/110nr98.shtml

* Democrats quiz telecom companies about spy program role
http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9789709-7.html

* Telecoms Pressed on Surveillance
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/02/AR200710...