Sunday, May 31, 2015

Mass surveillance under the microscope




Two years on from the Snowden leaks, the surveillance debate continues.

The US Patriot Act is the legislation that enabled the National Security Agency (NSA) to conduct mass surveillance on American citizens - as revealed by one if its former contractors, Edward Snowden, nearly two years ago - and on June 1, 2015 one of the most controversial sections of that act will expire.

It will be up to the US Congress to decide on whether or not to renew the law. If undecided, there is a piece of legislation lying in wait called the USA Freedom Act which will reform the NSA and effectively end aspects of the surveillance programme as we know it.

However this debate is not only taking place in Washington. Earlier this month a meeting was held behind closed doors in Britain involving a who is who of tech giants and former intelligence chiefs, all there to discuss the future of surveillance.

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