A broad array of groups from across the political spectrum have joined together to launch the “Not Without a Warrant” campaign against the government reading personal email without a warrant.

The campaign states: “The government’s power to read your email, access your private photos stored online and track your daily movements is defined in a 1986 law, the Electronic Communications Privacy Act. The privacy protections of ECPA have not been updated since 1986. They say that the government can access your communications and surveil you without getting a warrant from a judge. Isn’t it time for privacy to catch up with technology?”

The groups initiating the Not Without a Warrant campaign include the Center for Democracy & Technology, Americans for Tax Reform, Bill of Rights Defense Committee, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, the ACLU, the Electronic Frontier Foundation and TechFreedom.

At the same time, Mac Observer reported late last week: “Apple made a public stance against government searches of electronic devices without a warrant on Thursday by joining the Digital Due Process organization. The group is made up of several companies such as Amazon.com, AT&T, Google, HP, and Microsoft and is working to improve privacy for smartphone, tablet and computer users.”

The following are available for interviews:

KELLY COBB, kcobb at atr.org
Cobb is government affairs manager at Americans for Tax Reform.

GREGORY NOJEIM, gnojeim at cdt.org
Nojeim is director of the Project on Freedom, Security & Technology at the Center for Democracy & Technology.

SHAHID BUTTAR, media at bordc.org
Buttar is executive director of the Bill of Rights Defense Committee.