Tyranny

The EFF reports that a federal court in Virginia today ruled that a criminal defendant has no "reasonable expectation of privacy" in his personal computer (PDF), located inside his home.

 The court says the federal government does not need a warrant to hack into an individual's computer.

 EFF reports: 

"The implications for the decision, if upheld, are

staggering: law enforcement would be free to remotely search and seize information from your computer, without a warrant, without probable cause, or without any suspicion at all. 

To say the least, the decision is bad news for privacy.

 But it's also incorrect as a matter of law, and we expect there is little chance it would hold up on appeal.

 (It also was not the central component of the judge's decision, which also diminishes the likelihood that it will become reliable precedent.) 

But the decision underscores a broader trend in these cases: courts across the country, faced with unfamiliar technology and unsympathetic defendants, are issuing decisions that threaten everyone's rights.