Limits on FBI access to search histories fails by one Senate vote

Limits on FBI access to search histories fails by one Senate vote

4 years ago
Anonymous $-9GJQVHNr8

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/05/limits-on-fbi-access-to-search-histories-fails-by-one-senate-vote/

An effort to protect Americans' browsing and search histories from warrantless government surveillance failed by a single vote in the Senate on Wednesday. The privacy measure, sponsored by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) got 59 votes, one vote fewer than was needed to overcome a filibuster.

The vote was over a section of federal surveillance law that was originally part of the USA Patriot Act in 2001. That provision, known as Section 215, gave the FBI the power to obtain "any tangible thing," including "books, records, papers, documents, and other items," without a warrant. The provision was only supposed to be used for foreign intelligence investigations, not ordinary criminal investigations. Civil liberties groups have long criticized it for its breadth and weak judicial oversight.