> The only obstacle to NSA running amok through the data is having to say "please" to the telecom companies first.
The obstacle to the NSA running amok is that this bill drastically reduces what's covered by a specific selection term. It means the NSA can request things like "records for people living in this one house" or "any records pertaining to this one person" but can't request things like "all call records from New York", which is what they had a week ago.
On top of that, any FISA decisions that attempt to redefine what a specific selection term is have to be declassified now.
Not that I disbelieve you, but do you have a reference?
It was my understanding that no amendments were allowed to USA FREEDOM, which still leaves the barn doors open. But perhaps I misunderstood something about the version of USA FREEDOM that was current at the time of the vote, so I'd like to read more about it.
The obstacle to the NSA running amok is that this bill drastically reduces what's covered by a specific selection term. It means the NSA can request things like "records for people living in this one house" or "any records pertaining to this one person" but can't request things like "all call records from New York", which is what they had a week ago.
On top of that, any FISA decisions that attempt to redefine what a specific selection term is have to be declassified now.