Federal law allows monitoring of Americans' free speech

[Declan McCullagh]

I like the authorized law enforcement activity exception...


http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/5/552a.html
[feds shall]
           (7) maintain no record describing how any individual
           exercises
           rights guaranteed by the First Amendment unless expressly

           authorized by statute or by the individual about whom the
           record
           is maintained or unless pertinent to and within the scope of
           an
           authorized law enforcement activity;