US spy agencies purchased Americans’ phone location data and internet metadata without a warrant but only admitted it after a US senator blocked the appointment of a new NSA director.

The Pentagon Tried to Hide That It Bought Americans’ Data Without a Warrant::US spy agencies purchased Americans’ phone location data and internet metadata without a warrant but only admitted it after a US senator blocked the appointment of a new NSA director.

  • zoostation@lemmy.worldEnglish
    319·
    10 months ago

    Anyone can buy this data. It’s just a regular product. What would a warrant have to do with anything.

    • echutaa@programming.devEnglish
      10·
      10 months ago

      Warrants are important checks on an otherwise unchecked behemoth that could easily make most people disappear in one way or another.

      • NightAuthor@lemmy.worldEnglish
        3·
        10 months ago

        As much as I hate it, I was under the impression that US government agencies routinely purchased user data from brokers because it was a workaround for warrant requirements to acquire the data themselves.

        • kent_eh@lemmy.caEnglish
          5·
          10 months ago

          Yeah, the real problem is that the data was made available for sale.

        • motorwerks@sopuli.xyzEnglish
          21·
          10 months ago

          Ah yes, the 'I singlehandedly thought it was the expected result" explanation. If true, still not helpful.