Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

posted by martyb on Friday January 12 2018, @01:33PM   Printer-friendly
from the pay-no-attention-to-the-TLA-behind-the-curtain dept.

The House of Representatives passed legislation Thursday that would extend a controversial government spying power known as "Section 702" for another six years—without new privacy safeguards that had been sought by civil liberties groups.

Debate over the legislation now shifts over to the Senate, where it faces a filibuster threat from both Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.).

"If this Section 702 bill comes to the Senate, I will filibuster it," Wyden wrote in a tweet shortly after the House bill passed.

Wyden opposes the legislation because he believes that it offers too few protections for Americans' privacy rights. The powers granted by Section 702 are only supposed to be used against foreigners on foreign soil. But an American's communications can get swept up in the NSA's surveillance dragnet if they communicate with people overseas. Privacy advocates have championed an amendment to impose new privacy safeguards on the use of Section 702. But it was voted down by the House on Thursday.

[...] There isn't much time for the Senate to act. Section 702 expires on January 19, a little more than a week away.

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/01/as-house-passes-surveillance-bill-wyden-and-paul-vow-filibuster/


Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
  • (Score: 4, Insightful) by tangomargarine on Friday January 12 2018, @05:23PM

    by tangomargarine (667) on Friday January 12 2018, @05:23PM (#621454)

    traditionally I've always thought of the House as the body having the closer interests of the people and the Senate that of the Union

    That's a good point that I didn't even think of.

    That for this to even happen in the Senate now requires a filibuster is disappointing.

    Then again, I'm biased. 9/11 was 16 years ago. When will it be time to end the perpetual sense of emergency? I guess there is no such thing as permanent as a temporary crisis.

    Anybody remember those guys back in Rome who gave up their dictatorships willingly? What a time.

    --
    "Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"
    Starting Score:    1  point
    Moderation   +2  
       Insightful=1, Interesting=1, Total=2
    Extra 'Insightful' Modifier   0  
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  

    Total Score:   4