Admission came during questioning at Senate intelligence committee worldwide threats hearing
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has started buying location data on Americans, Kash Patel, FBI director, said under oath at the Senate intelligence committee worldwide threats hearing on Wednesday.
Patel’s admission came in response to a question from the senator Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat who is a longtime opponent of the warrantless surveillance of Americans. Wyden told Patel that his predecessor, Christopher Wray, testified in 2023 that the FBI did not at that time purchase location data derived from internet advertising, although he acknowledged that it had done so in the past.
So you believe that, if a government is able to do something, then they should do it?
It points to a deeper problem if they can. These companies have no qualms selling it to foreign states, fascist groups, etc.
Do you frequently make a habit of arguing with piles of straw?
Not that they should, but that they’re bastards and they will if there’s nothing stopping them.
Right, which is why we’re discussing proposed legislation to do just that
Exactly. Not just that, but apparently it is okay that every other organization in the world knows everything about you except the FBI. The issue isn’t that law enforcement is buying information to get around warrant rules, but that your information is a public commodity in the first place.
Both things are issued