Privacy experts call for end to U.S. mass surveillance

Security experts Bruce Schneier and Cindy Cohn, former executive director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, have issued a joint call to end the era of mass surveillance in the United States. They argue that the surveillance architecture established following the September 11 attacks has evolved from targeted monitoring of terrorists into a system of indiscriminate data collection affecting the general public.

A primary concern is the blurring line between private and governmental surveillance. The authors note that agencies like the FBI, ICE, and local law enforcement increasingly bypass traditional warrant requirements by purchasing personal information directly from private data brokers. This creates a pipeline where data collected for commercial purposes by companies like Google and Facebook becomes accessible to the state.

The experts highlight various forms of pervasive technology, including facial recognition at private venues, networked license plate readers, and the tracking of cellphone location data. They also point to instances of abuse, such as the use of surveillance against protesters, journalists, and political donors. To address these issues, they advocate for restoring Fourth Amendment protections, requiring warrants for all forms of mass data collection, and supporting legislation like the ‘Fourth Amendment is Not for Sale Act’ to prevent the government from circumventing legal restrictions through commercial purchases.