We Must Regain Our Lost Civil Liberties Essay

If you violate a local law--we will hope that you will, and work to make sure that you are put in jail and be kept in custody as long as possible." According to Anne Kandra, whether a person is in favor or against the USA Patriot Act, it is important to know how this Act will affect our life online. The act allows investigators to use more powerful tools to monitor phone calls, e-mail messages, and web surfing. People now have less guarantee of privacy on the Internet. The federal investigators will now look through everyone's e-mail, text chat, or search inquiry. The surveillance will focus on people who authorities have a solid basis of suspicion. They will have to establish probable that a targeted person has been involved in a crime. The judges will then approve all reasonable requests related to criminal investigations. This Act also allows federal investigators to wiretap suspect's phones. Before, federal investigators had to have probable cause and had to specify specific lines to monitor. Now, they are able to wiretap without probable cause. They can monitor everything on a line whether the suspect is using it or not.

the titles of books an individual has purchased or borrowed or the identity of individuals who have purchased or borrowed certain books. The Patriot Act authorizes the use of devices to trace the telephone calls or e-mails of people who are not suspected of any crime. American citizens and permanent legal residents’ investigated and sought information on the basis of activities protected by the First Amendment.

Federal supervision of electronics has been prevalent since the 60's, and has become increasingly intrusive with laws such as the ECPA and USA PATRIOT Acts. These laws authorized the legal surveillance of foreigners, and Americans abroad. However, with the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act requiring communication companies to provide backdoors for government use, agencies such as the National Security Agency have abused their powers in secrecy. More recently, Edward J. Snowden released NSA files that revealed the agency to illicitly engage in unwarranted surveillance of Americans both abroad and at home. (Introduction to Domestic Surveillance: Current Controversies)

The United States government changed the face of computer and internet use when it signed the USA Patriot Act on October 26, 2001. This act was created in the wake of the terrorist attacks in New York City on September 11 that same year. Many people believe that this act is a good thing and will help in defense against any future attacks. What most people do not know, however, is the effect of this act on the more general public. This includes individual people, public libraries, colleges and universities, and even trucking or hauling companies.

To a vast majority of Americans, there exists the belief that the Patriot Act violates their right to privacy, and does little to ensure national security. However, this was not the intention of the Bush Administration, who passed this law. One week after September 11, 2001, the Patriot Act, a law that was meant to strengthen national security, was signed by the Bush Administration to ensure that no terrorist attack would ever harm the lives of more Americans. The Patriot Act gave federal law enforcement agencies what they needed to mount an effective and coordinated plan to stop United States Terrorism. The officials were given the right to carry out surveillance over the internet, phone conversations, and public records. Therefore, this

Law enforcement utilizes the Patriot Act through enhance surveillance techniques and search warrant opportunities all of which are approved by the court system but not exactly “monitored.” Judges and magistrates within the court system deny bond, incarcerate, and hold hearings concerning liberties and collateral violations in the name of fighting terrorism. An excellent example of

Some of the tools that officers and agents can now easily use thanks to the Patriot Act are the use of roving wiretaps, they can conduct investigations without tipping off, and request business records from any provider among others (Congressional Digest, 2004) (Department of Justice, n.d.).

Without a warrant, searching through a person’s intimate records is considered illegal and unconstitutional according to the U.S Fourth Amendment. However, these infractions are still being committed today, some are even being committed by the U.S government. When the government agreed upon the Patriot Act, after the law was signed, confidential agencies were formed, such as, the NSA. The NSA was assembled by the government to collect and store data secretly, this information is received from popular internet companies and phone companies. The NSA derives information from a total of nine American Internet companies, and tracks millions of Americans using data from Verizon, AT&T, and BellSouth. By court order, Verizon is forced to provide

Essentially, the Patriot Act gave the government and the National Security Administration (NSA) more power to tap American citizens phones, and to monitor cellular and internet data without probable cause in the name of preventing terrorism.

Title 2 of the Patriot Act expanded the government’s surveillance program and gave them the power to circumvent legal regulations in order to obtain information. As a result, the government was able intercept internet communications and conduct roving wiretaps. Roving wiretaps were especially controversial because the government was given the ability to monitor devices without specifying the device to be tapped (“USA

Similarly, trap and trace devices checked what incoming phone numbers were calling a particular phone line. The USAPA now enables the FBI to eavesdrop on all computer routing, addressing and signaling information. It is done with a huge software system called Carnivore. This system filters through all internet packets (pieces of information traveling on the internet) that travel through a specific ISP, sniffing for a suspect’s electronic communication. It can only be installed on an ISP either with the ISP’s permission or a court order. The sneak and peak provision permits government officials with a warrant to search any tangible property or communications where notification of the search can be delayed for a “reasonable period.” This allows law enforcement to investigate without having to worry about compromising the case by tipping the suspect too early. Another notable change in the USAPA is it redefines of the term “foreign intelligence” to include domestic citizens. It reflects the fact that the perpetrators of 9/11 were living in the U.S. for years. Now foreign intelligence is defined as “information relating to the capabilities, intentions, or activities of foreign governments or elements thereof, foreign organizations, or foreign persons or international terrorist activities.” The definition continues about a U.S. person that concerns a foreign power or

The U.S.A. Patriot Act creates significant expanded powers to federal and state law enforcement agencies to fight against terrorism in the United States and abroad. The Act enabled law enforcement agencies to circumvent the Bill of Rights in the fight against terrorism. Law enforcement was now able to; search and seize without probable cause, to detain individuals without a trial, monitor religious and political events without suspecting criminal activity, listen to conversations between lawyers and their clients or deny legal representation to individuals accused of crimes. Although the intent of the Patriot Act was to combat terrorism in the United States and abroad, it is presently being utilized against the citizens of America. Therefore, the Constitutional rights of every American citizen are being violated.

The National Security Association (NSA) monitors the communications without warrant or viable cause, except for the threat of terrorist attacks. Allowing the U.S. Government to monitor its people violates their Fourth Amendment right to privacy. Not only is monitoring a violation of right, but the NSA is also keeping

The Patriot Act allows the National Security Agency (NSA) to collect data, it can apply to the Foreign Surveillance Intelligence court to force businesses, such as cellular telephone companies, to provide user records, these records can be searched without the owners knowledge or consent. It can also obtain internet data from it the National Security Electronic Surveillance Program (PRISM), operated by the NSA, including emails, chats, photos, video, payment information including credit card numbers, and other digital information.

The Patriot Act was passed by the congress to help them seek out terrorist attacks by being able to access every American’s private mail and records. In 2010, the congress used the Patriot Act to bust 3,970 suspicious acts by entering houses, apartments, or offices without any notice. They then searched through the individual’s property and, in some cases, seized the suspicious property. Out of these 3,970 cases, 76 percent were drug related, 24 percent were other, and less than 1 percent were terror-related (Union).