Electronic Frontier Foundation Explains Changes As Portions Of Patriot Act Expire And USA Freedom Act Signed
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)— This month's expiration of portions of the Patriot Act have been counterbalanced by the signing of the USA Freedom Act by President Obama. The action extends three of those expired surveillance provisions by the National Security Agency (NSA) and overhauls the most controversial provision: the allowing of NSA bulk collection of U.S. phone records.
Some are calling the revising of what was the 9/11-era Patriot Act, a positive move in limiting one aspect of government surveillance. Others say the USA Freedom Act is a weak compromise that still allows far-reaching surveillance of citizens. On the opposite end, there are still those who are calling for stronger protections against the possibility of terror attacks.
We spoke with Lee Tien, senior staff attorney with the San Francisco-based non-profit, Electronic Frontier Foundation, whose mission is defending civil liberties in the digital world.
Listen to the full In Depth segment on safety, freedoms, rule of law, politics, whistleblowers and how it all relates to the constitution: