NSA is temporarily not allowed to collect telephone data from Americans

The US Senate did not extend parts of the Patriot Act last night. One of the consequences is that the secret service NSA is temporarily not allowed to use a ‘dragnet’ method to collect metadata from Americans on a large scale.

The intelligence service can continue to collect telecom data from non-Americans. Legislation authorizing US authorities to wiretap Americans has come under fire since whistleblower Edward Snowden provided insight into the extent of the NSA’s spying practices.

The US House of Representatives recently passed three parts of the Patriot Act called the USA Freedom Act, but the Senate debate has reached an impasse. The Senate did not make the June 1 deadline, despite a rushed ballot. A new treatment will follow in a few days.

It concerns an extension until 2019. According to Ars Technica, one of the three parts of the proposal contains the condition that the Intelligence Surveillance Act Court must subsequently decide whether searches in the data collection of American telecom data is relevant for combating terrorism. In addition, the bulk data would in future be stored at telecom companies.

Another part that has not been extended concerns ‘hopping’ taps when a suspect changes devices and the last part that has not been adopted concerns being able to tap so-called ‘lone wolves’ who have no ties to terrorist activities.