The Warrantless Surveillance Bill Renewal is Even Broader Than Many Noticed
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA, amended in 2008), as a whole and its Section 702 in particular have been a “gift that keeps on giving” where all manner of controversies are concerned.
In late April, it was time to once again reauthorize this legislation whose privacy safeguards have been routinely bypassed by law enforcement for years, and this did happen, with persistent major points of contention being warrantless access to data belonging to Americans (and respect for their constitutional rights).
The issue this time surfaced in a provision that changed the definition of electronic communications service providers (ECSPs)—in terms of which companies fall under this category, that is, which providers are obligated to give the government access to communications.
As things stand, more US businesses than ever would have to provide access to phones, Wi-Fi routers, and other equipment.
Source: Reclaim the Net
