What if someone you didn't know was listening and on your phone calls and collecting your phone's text messages and data? Well, the government has been doing it for years! But since yesterday, they are no longer allowed.
The government's authority to spy on our private phone calls, without our knowledge, warrants or consent, expired at midnight Sunday May 29th. For first time since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, American won't have the worry about "big brother" listening in. But don't get too comfortable, this is more than likely only temporary.
Foreign Policy.com --
For now, Sen. Rand Paul, who blocked the passage of a bill reauthorizing some NSA authorities, can claim victory. But his win is likely to be short-lived and could prove costly as he eyes the Oval Office in 2016.
For weeks the Senate has been stalled at the Patriot Act, which allows the government to spy on our calls, all because of one person, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. But not because he doesn't want us to get spied on, basically because he thinks the provisions of the Act will not allow the NSA to spy on us enough.
Mr. McConnell insisted the change would damage the NSA's ability to uncover terrorist plots and proposed his own bill that would have simply extended the original law without amendments.
Even though the Act expired, doesn't mean it can't get voted back in...
Foreign Policy.com
On Monday, the Senate once again headed toward a vote on the USA Freedom Act; Senate Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.) said the legislation could become law as early as Tuesday evening. That means the three authorities that Paul allowed to expire — including the controversial Section 215 that lets the NSA sweep up tens of millions of Americans’ Internet and phone records — are likely be back on the books just days after he prevented his colleagues from renewing them.
If the legislation passes, the data now will be held by a third party, not the government.
How do you feel about the government listening in and collecting bulks of your private data with our your consent?
