Loading ...Supercharged Spying Provision Buried In “Terrifying” FISA 702 Reauthorization
On Monday, the House finalized procedural business on a bill to reauthorize the nation’s warrantless surveillance powers under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) called “one of the most dramatic and terrifying expansions of government surveillance authority in history.”
There are certain powers a government should not have in a democracy. The ability to force ordinary businesses and individuals to serve as surrogate spies is one of them. Even if the targets are supposed to be foreigners, a power this sweeping WILL be abused.
I cannot overstate how mindblowingly irresponsible that is. I don’t think *any* administration should be trusted with an Orwellian power like this one. But even if *this* administration doesn’t plan to make full use of it… (Go ahead and fill in the blank.)