The FBI does not seem to be stopping the search for more surveillance. Thirty-seven privacy and internet rights groups along with private companies such as Facebook, Google and Yahoo have joined together and signed a letter opposing the new surveillance powers the FBI is set to receive.
These organizations and companies are concerned about the proposed amendment to the Intelligence Authorization Act 2017. If adopted, the amendment will broaden the type of data that the FBI may require using National Security Letters.
National security letters are legal documents issued by the FBI and can force a company to disclose details of its customers without a court order.
EFF argues that the FBI has issued over 300.000 national security letters over the past ten years.
Until today the FBI could use the national security letters for the collection of information για τους υπόπτους, όπως “το name, the address, the duration of the service, as well as the local and long distance charges.”
US Senators allegedly proposed a new modification of Electronic Communication Transactional Records (ECTRs) through the Intelligence Authorization Act 2017, effectively extending the types of data that could be collected through national security letters without the need for a warrant.
This update will allow the FBI to request data such as “browsing history, email metadata, information για τον εντοπισμό θέσης και την ακριβή ημερομηνία και ώρα που ήταν ένα άτομο online on an account.”
Privacy groups and technology companies say this could allow the FBI to infer information about "political beliefs, medical conditions, religion, history of substance abuse, sexual orientation, and […] day-to-day travel of their clients. . ”
Below is the full letter, signed by organizations such as: Electronic Frontier Foundation, Access Now, American Civil Liberties Union, Human Rights Watch, Government Accountability Project and many others.
