Heads Up: The FBI May Start Coming For Your Browser History

Doctor Franzia9 years ago

If a certain provision in a new bill on the Senate floor is passed, the FBI could be allowed to look at your browser history without a warrant.

From The Oregonian:

On Monday, Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) placed a hold on the 2017 Intelligence Authorization bill citing provisions “provisions that would let the FBI demand Americans’ web browsing histories and other digital data without court oversight.”

In his statement, Wyden notes that he does not “believe it is appropriate to give the government broad new surveillance authorities just because FBI officials do not like doing paperwork. Our founding fathers rightfully argued that such intrusive searches should be approved by independant judges.”

If you’re on this site, reading this right now, chances are you’re already on a couple of watch lists.

I agree with Senator Wyden. Letting a bunch of overpaid bureaucratic chodes in JC Penny suits track what weird stuff I search for (it’s all research I swear!) is distinctly un-American and something the Founding Fathers would have hard vetoed. You just know Thomas Jefferson would have been into some freaky internet porn if they had it back then.

There are a couple other options the sponsors of the bill have to pass it, so we’re not out of the woods yet. I’d be watching this one closely..

[via The Oregonian]

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