2003FallQ2

Question #2
Since September 11, 2001, legislation, such as the Patriot Act, has been passed expanding the power given to law enforcement agencies to monitor the communications of citizens in order to detect potential terrorist activity. This has created a tension between the government protecting the national security versus protecting the civil liberties of individual citizens. Information professionals may be confronted with difficult decisions when requests are made for information about their patrons/clients (i.e. research requests, materials use, etc.). Discuss the ethical and legal issues involved for information professionals confronted with these decisions. What steps would you take to determine appropriate policies and procedures for your information organization?