When we learned about rampid covert government surveillance of US citizens, Congress gave us FISA, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The Act was structured to limit how and when the FBI, CIA, NSA and other agencies could spy on the American people. Since that legislation draft back in 1978. However, surveillance techniques have evolved. Also in the wake of 911. Restrictions on spying have relaxed as the alphabet of defense agencies have expanded with the DHS and the DOD and so on. So here we are in 2023. With the government now surveilling people sounds warrant basically respecting privacy rights, like Trump respects gag orders, we need to push back. Specifically, we need to support the government surveillance Reform Act of 2023 gsra They call it the bipartisan legislation that was put up in the Senate last week takes FISA a step further by preventing abuses of power while taking us a step back in terms of reversing the erosion of privacy rights. This legislation would be a big deal as law enforcement illegal surveillance has been a big problem. According to a report recently released by the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, intelligence officials conducted more than 200,000 purportedly inadvertent searches of Americans communications in just 2022 alone, and that was a stark improvement from previous years. It was in fact a 98% improvement to be exact, before being reined in by the FISA court for persistent and widespread FISA violations. The FBI was intercepting communications of hundreds of 1000s of Americans from social justice protesters to members of Congress to congressional campaign donors. Everybody’s business was in these government streets. I’m talking about warrantless search. I’m talking like all the time. It’s like the Fourth Amendment was merely advisory for the feds, and all they had to offer us in response was oops, we the people deserve better. Like actual privacy rights. We deserve to know that the intelligence community isn’t simply trimming a little fat off of the constitution so it can surveil my DNS. If passed the gsra would help curb such abuses. It will require officials to obtain a warrant and a criminal or FISA court before performing searches for Americans communications. Last I checked that would simply be complying with the Fourth Amendment, but hey, I will take it at this point.
The gsra also would prohibit agencies from accessing and buying databases of vast amounts of highly sensitive information on Americans. You know, because capitalism is king and everything’s for sale, this data broker business has been going on behind closed doors for decades now giving law enforcement a workaround to otherwise warrant requisite searches. Another pivotal part of gsra is a provision that would restrict law enforcement ability to capture location information from cell phones, car computers and other digital signals without a warrant. None of these proposed changes are wild. Perhaps that’s why both Republicans and Democrats in the Senate can get behind it. But now we must as citizens do the same by contacting our representatives, demanding they support the gsra slicer was good for where we were back in 78. But we need legislation that aligns with the times and the government level of abuses. Because no matter how many decades pass, protecting privacy rights never goes out of style,
Adrienne Lawrence
Legal analyst, law professor & award-winning author
View Video LibraryCommentary
Our commentary partners will help you reach your own conclusions on complex topics.
‘You need to speak English’: Americans debate immigration crisis
Yesterday
Dr. Frank Luntz
Russia and China provoke Finland short of war
Yesterday
Peter Zeihan
Is geothermal energy a viable solution to electricity shortage?
Thursday
Peter Zeihan
Why Siberian rail network attacks are a potential setback for Russia
Wednesday
Peter Zeihan
All Americans should support proposed privacy bill
Nov 15
By Straight Arrow News
The aftermath of 9/11 ushered in a new era of warrantless mass surveillance in the United States. Now, a proposed bill with broad bipartisan support hopes to change that. The Government Surveillance Reform Act (GSRA) seeks to restrict U.S. government agencies from exploiting loopholes and bulk purchasing sensitive personal data on American citizens.
Straight Arrow News contributor Adrienne Lawrence encourages all Americans to support the bill regardless of their political opinions. She reminds us that the GSRA has broad bipartisan support and concludes that this is our best opportunity to regulate government surveillance.
The GSRA also would prohibit agencies from accessing and buying databases of vast amounts of highly sensitive information on Americans. You know, because capitalism is king and everything’s for sale, this data broker business has been going on behind closed doors for decades now, giving law enforcement a workaround to otherwise warrant-requisite searches. Another pivotal part of GSRA is a provision that would restrict law enforcement’s ability to capture location information from cell phones, car computers and other digital signals without a warrant.
None of these proposed changes are wild. Perhaps that’s why both Republicans and Democrats in the Senate can get behind it. But now we must as citizens do the same by contacting our representatives, demanding they support the GSRA.
FISA was good for where we were back in 1978, but we need legislation that aligns with the times and the government level of abuses. Because no matter how many decades pass, protecting privacy rights never goes out of style.
When we learned about rampid covert government surveillance of US citizens, Congress gave us FISA, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The Act was structured to limit how and when the FBI, CIA, NSA and other agencies could spy on the American people. Since that legislation draft back in 1978. However, surveillance techniques have evolved. Also in the wake of 911. Restrictions on spying have relaxed as the alphabet of defense agencies have expanded with the DHS and the DOD and so on. So here we are in 2023. With the government now surveilling people sounds warrant basically respecting privacy rights, like Trump respects gag orders, we need to push back. Specifically, we need to support the government surveillance Reform Act of 2023 gsra They call it the bipartisan legislation that was put up in the Senate last week takes FISA a step further by preventing abuses of power while taking us a step back in terms of reversing the erosion of privacy rights. This legislation would be a big deal as law enforcement illegal surveillance has been a big problem. According to a report recently released by the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, intelligence officials conducted more than 200,000 purportedly inadvertent searches of Americans communications in just 2022 alone, and that was a stark improvement from previous years. It was in fact a 98% improvement to be exact, before being reined in by the FISA court for persistent and widespread FISA violations. The FBI was intercepting communications of hundreds of 1000s of Americans from social justice protesters to members of Congress to congressional campaign donors. Everybody’s business was in these government streets. I’m talking about warrantless search. I’m talking like all the time. It’s like the Fourth Amendment was merely advisory for the feds, and all they had to offer us in response was oops, we the people deserve better. Like actual privacy rights. We deserve to know that the intelligence community isn’t simply trimming a little fat off of the constitution so it can surveil my DNS. If passed the gsra would help curb such abuses. It will require officials to obtain a warrant and a criminal or FISA court before performing searches for Americans communications. Last I checked that would simply be complying with the Fourth Amendment, but hey, I will take it at this point.
The gsra also would prohibit agencies from accessing and buying databases of vast amounts of highly sensitive information on Americans. You know, because capitalism is king and everything’s for sale, this data broker business has been going on behind closed doors for decades now giving law enforcement a workaround to otherwise warrant requisite searches. Another pivotal part of gsra is a provision that would restrict law enforcement ability to capture location information from cell phones, car computers and other digital signals without a warrant. None of these proposed changes are wild. Perhaps that’s why both Republicans and Democrats in the Senate can get behind it. But now we must as citizens do the same by contacting our representatives, demanding they support the gsra slicer was good for where we were back in 78. But we need legislation that aligns with the times and the government level of abuses. Because no matter how many decades pass, protecting privacy rights never goes out of style,
Melania Trump’s fashion faux pas a lesson for women
Melania Trump and several other first ladies attended the funeral of former First Lady Rosalynn Carter on Nov. 29. In contrast to the traditional black attire worn by the other first ladies, Melania opted for a gray coat. This is not the first time Melania has broken away from political traditions, as demonstrated by her
Wednesday
To address poverty, tax the rich and vote blue
The United States is one of the wealthiest nations in the world today, yet many Americans remain trapped in cycles of poverty and homelessness. That problem is both an economic and a political one, as many on the Right insist that the government should not be protecting or providing for America’s poor in the first
Nov 29
Biden’s fentanyl strategy overly focused on China
During their Nov. 15 meeting in San Francisco, President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping reached an agreement to curb fentanyl production. Fentanyl is extensively manufactured in Mexico using precursor chemicals primarily sourced from China and is then transported into the U.S. through cartels. Straight Arrow News contributor Adrienne Lawrence is supportive of any
Nov 22
All Americans should support proposed privacy bill
The aftermath of 9/11 ushered in a new era of warrantless mass surveillance in the United States. Now, a proposed bill with broad bipartisan support hopes to change that. The Government Surveillance Reform Act (GSRA) seeks to restrict U.S. government agencies from exploiting loopholes and bulk purchasing sensitive personal data on American citizens. Straight Arrow
Nov 15
Biden’s hypocrisy on Israel-Hamas war could cost him 2024 election
Israel’s siege and bombardment of the Gaza Strip has killed over 10,000 people, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, and displaced 70% of the population. Yet U.S. President Joe Biden remains a self-declared staunch ally of Israel and has consistently rejected proposals for a Gaza ceasefire. Meanwhile, Biden recently expelled several countries from the
Nov 8
Media Miss
Underreported stories from each side
UPenn loses $100 million donation after antisemitism hearing
13 sources | 15% from the left
Getty Images
Post-Roe, nearly 1 in 5 people seeking an abortion traveled out of state, analysis finds
10 sources | 0% from the right
Getty Images
Latest Stories
Police blow up poisonous gold mines in the Amazon
Watch :54
Yesterday
UPenn, Harvard presidents clarify antisemitism testimony after fallout
Watch 3:57
Yesterday
Sacred cedars of Lebanon facing threat of climate change, scientists warn
Watch 2:01
Yesterday
George Santos rakes in six figures on Cameo, surpassing congressional salary
Watch 1:30
Yesterday
IDF posts controversial images of alleged Hamas soldiers stripped down, restrained
Watch 2:06
Yesterday
Popular Opinions
In addition to the facts, we believe it’s vital to hear perspectives from all sides of the political spectrum.
Conservatives will make immigration crisis worse
Yesterday
Dr. Rashad Richey
Transgender athletes are a threat to women’s sports
Yesterday
Star Parker
US must respond to threat from Iran-backed Houthis
Thursday
Katherine Zimmerman
Think before canceling Hollywood celebrities over Israel-Hamas war
Thursday
Jordan Reid