Republican Chair of the House Intelligence Committee Mike Turner is trying to block an overhaul of America’s mass surveillance in order to keep spying on protestors.1
That’s what Rep. Turner pitched to lawmakers and staffers in a closed door meeting: don’t reform Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) or else the government won’t be able to spy on protestors.2
The spying powers in Section 702 are abused by the government to surveil Americans (collecting, using, and sharing our personal data, including online communications) without a warrant — and votes are imminent that will decide whether Congress will rubber-stamp these spying powers or finally reform mass surveillance in America.
Sign the petition: Urge lawmakers before they vote — end mass surveillance, no more warrantless spying on Americans!
A staffer at Turner’s closed door meeting told WIRED that when pictures of protestors were displayed in a slideshow, the message was: “Here are protesters outside of Chuck Schumer's house. We need to be able to use 702 to query these people.”3
Section 702 of FISA is a dangerous power that government agencies use to collect, use, and share our personal data, including online communications, all without a warrant. And clearly, lawmakers like Mike Turner want to keep mass surveillance the way it is so the government can keep tabs on protestors and any other Americans they choose.
We know Section 702 has been abused in ways that violate Americans’ fundamental civil liberties and civil rights. FBI agents have abused this authority to search through millions of warrantlessly acquired communications for conversations with Americans, including thousands of protestors, racial justice activists, journalists, donors to a Congressional campaign, and countless others.4
Even though the Fourth Amendment protects our right to keep our information private, the government is collecting troves of our data without a warrant.
Votes on Section 702 are imminent – join us and take action now.
Add your name: Congress must reject the extension of dangerous, unlawful spying under Section 702.
Sources:
- Wired, "US Lawmaker Cited NYC Protests in a Defense of Warrantless Spying," March 12, 2024.
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
- LA Times, “Opinion: Before the feds surveil Americans for Gaza protests, rein in warrantless spying,” February 8, 2024.