Overview
- EFF is urging Congress to reject a clean reauthorization of Section 702 and is directing people to contact their representatives to demand reforms.
- Section 702 lets U.S. agencies collect communications of foreign targets overseas, yet those records often include one side of conversations with people in the United States.
- EFF says the FBI can search this stored data for Americans’ messages without getting a judge’s approval, and people swept in usually are never told or able to find out.
- A federal district court recently held that many searches of stored Section 702 data involving Americans ordinarily require a warrant, which civil-liberties groups say undercuts claims for a no‑reform renewal.
- EFF joined 20 organizations in opposing a proposal to drop Senate confirmation for key intelligence posts, arguing that it would weaken accountability as Congress decides whether to renew, reform, or let Section 702 lapse.