Stop the FBI's Carnivore Spy Tool Now

We, the undersigned, hereby call upon you to end the use of the Carnivore electronic spy system. Please have this system removed from all current deployments, and do not reinstate it under any circumstances.

There is no justification for such wide-ranging searches as those done by Carnivore, and furthermore, there is no need. The Government cannot be allowed to "listen in" on the conversations of thousands (or millions)- not even for the sake of law enforcement. Internet Service Providers are currently capable of supplying Federal Agents with any material for which they have a lawful warrant.

We believe that a search warrant that employs Carnivore as its means of enforcement is unconstitutional. The 4th Amendment states that "no warrants shall issue" except those which specifically describe the place to be searched, and things to be seized. We believe that, due to the nature of Internet technology, a "Carnivore warrant" is invalid because it cannot possibly describe the "place to be searched" or even the "persons or things to be seized."

Carnivore searches- by their nature- are violating the 4th Amendment rights of most customers of any ISP where it is in use. In electronic form, their "papers and effects" are being searched and seized, with no probable cause or suspicion. Within Carnivore, thousands of innocent people's private information is being seized and investigated, for a brief moment of time, without their knowledge or consent. This is the equivalent of sneaking into the homes of everyone in a city, looking around, and taking anything that looks suspicious, in order to find evidence to convict one criminal. This conduct is unacceptable.

Carnivore sets a precedent that we will not accept. Government must conduct its affairs within the boundaries of the Constitution, and there can be no exceptions- not even in the interest of law enforcement. Law enforcement is designed to defend our rights, not violate them.

Please end the use of Carnivore now- and ban the future use of any such technology by U.S. Law Enforcement. We will not let this issue rest.