New Surveillance Reform Bill Raises Concerns Regarding Americans Data Privacy

Spies might be made out of regular employees at US companies if the recently proposed and approved legislation by the House Intelligence Committee greatly expands the federal government’s surveillance powers, experts warn.

The legislation, called H.R. 6611 or the “HPSCI bill,” is said to be aimed at updating Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act of 2008. Section 702 was enacted to empower the National Security Agency (NSA) to intercept data related to suspected terrorists abroad. Such surveillance, however, has resulted in the widespread acquisition of domestic data as well. Without a warrant, agencies such as the FBI used data gathered under 702 to target Americans.

Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) and Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) introduced the bill, which was approved by committee on December 7.

Elizabeth Goitein, co-director of the non-profit Brennan Centre for Justice’s Liberty and National Security Programme, was among many who raised concerns about the so-called reform after a section representing “the biggest expansion of surveillance inside the United States since the Patriot Act” was discovered.

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