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June 1st is fast approaching and the end of government agencies collecting “all” our information could end. This day marks the end of the extension the USA PATRIOT Act that was created in 2001 by President George W. Bush, and signed back into law again in 2011 by President Barack Obama. The Patriot Act is what allows the government to seize any information that could enable them to stop terrorist threats. This may seem all fine and dandy until you understand that they are not just taking terrorist’s data, but they are collecting data from every person in the U.S.. It seems kinda scary that the U.S. government has every bit, and I mean “every” bit, of data that is out there. They do this through programs like PRISM, KEYSCORE, MUSCULAR, and MYSTIC, which collect data as it leaves the country. That may seem great, cause you only ever text your friend in the states, or call your mother at home, but what you don’t realize is that servers bounce your data all over the world. virtually every bit that is sent is collected and stored with these programs.
Obviously you can’t have perfect security and perfect privacy at the same time, but what you can have the right balance. Before it is re-extended, the Patriot Act should be amended to prevent this collection of data or at least limit it greatly. The principal author of the Act, James Sensenbrenner, himself stated that the Act was not written to include the mass collection of data. This starts with Section 215, a part of the Act that is ambiguous and allows for mass data collection. It is the easiest section to amend due to this ambiguity. If we can amend this section then pushing for the other will be easier and more achievable. This law needs more congressional oversight and more specific boundaries. Most people don't have anything to hide, but if you give an inch, they take a mile. The NSA and other security organizations are doing just that. We are giving them an inch and they are taking the mile with those programs. Privacy is a part of the freedom they we have the right to in America.
Congressional Hearing: http://www.c-span.org/video/?c4483525/rep-jim-sensenbrenner-nsa-bulk-collection-exceeds-law
good!
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