The National Security Agency (NSA) is just days away from "taking over the Internet" with a massive expansion of its surveillance powers, according to NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.
Posting to X on April 16, Snowden pointed to a thread originally published by Elizabeth Goitein - co-director of the Freedom and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for Justice - that warned of a new bill that could see the U.S. government's surveillance powers increased to a new level.
The bill reforms and expands a portion of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), known as Section 702.
Currently, the NSA can force ISPs such as Google and Verizon to hand over sensitive data on NSA targets.
However, Goitein says that by "harmlessly amending" the FISA 702 Act's definition of "electronic communications surveillance provider," the U.S. government could go far beyond its current scope and compel almost any company or individual providing any Internet-related service to assist in NSA surveillance.
"This includes a huge number of U.S. businesses that provide Wi-Fi to their customers and thus have access to the equipment through which communications take place. Hair salons, laundromats, fitness centers, hardware stores, dental offices.
In addition, those forced to hand over the data will not be able to discuss the information provided due to severe penalties for silence and the conditions set forth in the bill, Goitein added.
