Access to Bookstore Data

Samantha Cook wrote\”
\”Did anyone see Friday night\’s edition of 20/20?


John Stossel\’s \”Give Me a
Break\” segment
had a story
regarding the
government\’s right to access a
bookstore\’s customer information list. The information
about a suspect\’s
buying habits and book material would be used to add
to the evidence to
prosecute an individual (for example, if they bought
materials regarding
bombs, weapons, creating home drug labs, etc.). I\’m
as concerned about
these issues as the next person, but feeling as if my
buying habits and book
selections could be scrutinized by the government, and
that they could be
used to solidify criminal charges against me, is a
troubling thought. How
often does someone read materials just for information
and knowledge, with
no intention of committing a criminal act? Admittedly,
this source is a
television \”news\” magazine, and has been known to
make errors in its
reporting, but if there is any validity to the story, we are
in serious
trouble.


The government is (once again) on an extremely
slippery slope, sticking its
oversized nose into its citizens homes and lives. \”