Trump’s Spy Chief Urged to Declassify Details of Secret Surveillance Program
1 min read
Summary
Civil liberties groups, led by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), are calling on new Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard to increase the transparency of a foreign intelligence surveillance programme that has been plagued by misuse allegations.
At least 20 privacy groups have urged Gabbard to declassify details about US businesses that can be secretly compelled to install wiretaps for the National Security Agency (NSA).
A provision in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) was broadened last year, allowing the government to obtain access to communications in US data centres.
However, lawyers for the US Justice Department wanted to expand the reach of the programme in 2022, but their efforts were blocked by the secret surveillance court overseeing FISA.
Privacy experts and industry leaders had also voiced concerns that the change could expose a wide range of businesses to secret government demands.
Gabbard has previously alluded to the need for greater oversight of secretive surveillance programmes.
