Law enforcement is spying on Americans' mail, records show
The U.S. Postal Service shares Americans' mail details with law enforcement through the mail covers program, aiding investigations without court orders. Critics raise privacy concerns, while the Postal Service defends the program's legality and limited scope.
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The U.S. Postal Service has been sharing information from Americans' letters and packages with law enforcement for the past decade, providing details like names and addresses without needing a court order. More than 60,000 requests have been received since 2015, with a high acceptance rate of 97%. The surveillance program, known as the mail covers program, aims to assist in finding fugitives or investigating crimes. Despite calls from senators for judicial oversight, the Postal Service has declined to change its policy, emphasizing that the program is focused on aiding law enforcement agencies and protecting the public. Critics argue that the lack of warrant requirements for monitoring mail raises concerns about privacy violations and the need for increased transparency in the process. The Postal Inspection Service defends the legality of the program, citing its authorization since 1879 and the limited scope of monitoring only the exterior of mail. Concerns over the revealing nature of mail covers have sparked debates on privacy rights and the extent of government surveillance.
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11 commentsMy goodness, this is madness.
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> In 1978, a circuit court judge said the mail covers could expose someone’s personal life “in a manner unobtainable even through surveillance of his movements,” rendering “the subject’s life an open book.”
Nothing has changed on the postal front in this regard.
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