American mass surveillance programs, such as those carried out by the NSA, have begun to change, as Wednesday the US House Judiciary Committee unanimously approved a revision of the USA Freedom Act, Human Rights Watch reported Thursday. The rewrite purposes to prohibit government bulk data collection of records, including phone and internet metadata. The data collection currently takes place under several US laws, such as Section 215 of the Patriot Act, which allows collection of all phone and other business records. The rewrite includes many of the proposals suggested by President Barack Obama earlier this year. The revision aims
data collection
NSA Reform Begins: US House Revises USA Freedom Act to End Bulk Data Collection and Telephone Metadata
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Reconsiders U.S.-Wide Licence Plate Data Collection Program
Criticism by privacy advocates has caused the U.S. Homeland Security Department (DHS) to review its proposal for private companies to provide the government with a U.S.-wide database of licence plate tracking information. The concerns raised by privacy advocates include the gratuitous nature of the privacy intrusion, the lack of regulations and safeguards regarding the data collection, and the lack of measures that would provide for audits of the system. The data collection proposal by the DHS was made public Feb. 12 on the government website, Federal Business Opportunities. The website, also known as Fed Biz Ops, is a public
Edward Snowden January Interview on German TV
This is the full transcript of Edward Snowden’s January interview, which is immediately taken down from YouTube when it is posted on that site. In this interview, Snowden speaks about the range and scope of the spying programs of the NSA and other functionaries of the U.S. government. He also answers questions about himself and his relationship with the U.S. government. Snowden discusses Germany and reminds his audience, “there are times throughout history–and it doesn’t take long for either an American or a German to think about times in the history of their country–where the law provided the government to
Court on NSA Surveillance: 10 days, Two Judges, Two States, Two Rulings
Two opposite court judgements have been handed down regarding the NSA surveillance program in 10 days by two US district judges in two states. On December 27, US District Judge William Pauley in New York ruled in ACLU v. James R. Clapper that the NSA’s metadata program is lawful under Section 215 of the Patriot Act. The ACLU sought a preliminary injunction against the Government’s program, but this was denied. On December 16, US District Judge Richard L. Leon in DC ruled in Klayman v. Obama that the NSA program was “likely unconstitutional.” Leon found against the NSA’s metadata program and granted a preliminary
