The National Security Agency (NSA) is just days away from quietly “taking over the internet” with a massive expansion of its surveillance powers, according to NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.
Snowden drew attention to a thread on X originally posted by
Elizabeth Goitein — the co-director of the Liberty and National Security
Program at the Brennan Center for Justice — that warned of a dystopian
new bill that could see the U.S. government surveillance powers beefed
up to new disturbing new levels.
CoinTelegraph report: The bill in question reforms and extends a part of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) known as Section 702.
Currently, the NSA can force internet service providers such
as Google and Verizon to hand over sensitive data concerning NSA
targets.
However, Goitein claims that through an “innocuous change” to the
definition of “electronic communications surveillance provider” in the
FISA 702 bill, the U.S. government could go far beyond its current scope
and force nearly every company and individual that provides any
internet-related service to assist with NSA surveillance.
“That sweeps in an enormous range of U.S. businesses that
provide wifi to their customers and therefore have access to equipment
on which communications transit. Barber shops, laundromats, fitness
centers, hardware stores, dentist’s offices.”
Additionally, the people forced to hand over data would be unable to
discuss the information provided due to hefty gag order penalties and
conditions outlined in the bill, added Goitein.
The bill initially received heavy pushback from privacy-conscious Republicans but passed through the U.S. House of Representatives on April 13.
Part of the pushback saw the bills’ proposed spying powers
time-frame cut from five years to two years, as well as some minor
amendments to the service providers included under the surveillance
measures.
However, according to Goitein, the amendment did very little to reduce the scope of surveillance granted to the NSA.
In her view, the amendment could even see service providers such as
cleaners, plumbers and IT service providers that have access to laptops
and routers inside people’s homes be forced to provide information and
serve as “surrogate spies,” claimed Goitein.
The bill has seen strong pushback from both sides of the
political aisle, with several government representatives claiming the
bill violates citizen’s constitutional rights.
Democratic Senator Ron Wyden described the bill as “terrifying” and said he would do everything in his power to prevent it from being passed through the Senate.
“This bill represents one of the most dramatic and terrifying expansions of government surveillance authority in history.”
Republican Congressperson Anna Paulina Luna, who voted against the
bill in the House of Representatives, said Section 702 was an
“irresponsible extension” of the NSA’s powers. Luna added that if
government agencies wanted access to data, they must be forced to apply
for a warrant.
The bill is slated for a vote on April 19 in the U.S. Senate.
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Author: Planet Today
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