FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed at a Senate hearing that the agency has resumed purchasing Americans' location data without warrants, despite previous assurances it had stopped. Patel defended the practice as a valuable intelligence tool consistent with existing laws, while Senator Ron Wyden condemned it as a dangerous violation of Fourth Amendment rights. The revelation highlights ongoing tensions between national security surveillance and digital privacy protections.
Background
In 2023, then-FBI Director Christopher Wray stated the agency had stopped purchasing commercial location data without warrants, describing it as part of a past pilot project. The practice involves buying data from commercial brokers who aggregate location information from apps and devices.
- Source
- Ars Technica
- Published
- Mar 20, 2026 at 03:57 AM
- Score
- 8.0 / 10