https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--mR5tCXJR--/c_scale,fl_progressive,q_80,w_800/18x2dznosj4u3jpg.jpg ## The NSA has been spying on millions of people for several years now and the opportunity to *dramatically limit* that spying apparatus is allegedly coming at the end of this year, with Section 207 of FISA set to expire. That particular section needs to receive re-approval but many civil liberties advocates and legal experts etc, are insisting that the rules first be reformed so that they protect against widespread dragnet surveillance that has been occurring for quite some time now. Section 702 of FISA, which is the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, is the section that provides for warrantless surveillance of Americans; engaged in conversations with others from foreign countries. This legislation has authorized the NSA to collect a myriad of communications including things like instant messages, phone calls, e-mails, and more. Just last week, the Electronic Frontier Foundation asked the Supreme Court to analyze a case of an American who had been convicted with evidence that was gathered under Section 207 of FISA; they filed a petition to have the court officially review that case. http://tenthamendmentcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/NSA-Big-Brother-is-Watching-You1.jpg This isn't the only fight against Section 702 either, as the ACLU and Wikimedia have also allegedly sued the government over their use of that specific legislation and other legal petitions have also been filed in regards to this matter. Congress is being pressured not to renew Section 702, though there are many in the intelligence community who insist that these unconstitutional powers are necessary in the fight against terrorism. ## Legal and privacy advocates maintain that Section 702 might result in the warrantless collection of communications for hundreds of millions of Americans. To make matters worse for the NSA, declassified files recently released by the ACLU, allegedly show that the agency violated a number of civil liberty protections by engaging in improper use of NSA search materials. As well, they also allegedly improperly disseminated raw intelligence on citizens and they *failed to delete* any unauthorized data in a prompt manner. The NSA has responded in saying that those files don't give a well rounded picture as to the overall efficiency of the agency, claiming that they only relate to less than one percent of their collected data. Despite justifications for the use of Section 702, the reality is that it gives the state the authority to violate what should be Constitutionally-protected natural rights, by enabling them to seize and search through the communications of hundreds of millions of people. They are collecting this information without any warrant or any probable cause and it has thus contributed to the erosion of liberty for Americans for far too long. https://steemitimages.com/0x0/https://steemitimages.com/DQmaW48YhsgLS2fxaYkXCuon3tFpQEEh1tSUCU3jjJXv7RT/%40doitvoluntarily.gif banner thanks to @son-of-satire Pics: Gizmodo via gizmodo.com/the-nsa-oversteps-its-legal-authority-and-the-court-can-1152184383 Tenthamendmentcenter via tenthamendmentcenter.com/2014/07/10/spying-on-innocents-the-nsas-unconstitutional-general-warrant/ Sources: https://www.wired.com/story/warrantless-us-spying-is-set-to-expire-soon-let-it-die/ http://www.insidesources.com/supreme-court-asked-look-warrantless-nsa-spying-powers/ https://www.eff.org/press/releases/eff-urges-supreme-court-take-unconstitutional-nsa-surveillance-reverse-dangerous https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/08/us/nsa-phone-records-collection-ruled-illegal-by-appeals-court.html?mcubz=3 https://sputniknews.com/military/201707271055922592-nsa-fbi-violations-702/ http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/jul/25/section-702-surveillance-authority-no-extension-un/ https://www.onthewire.io/petition-asks-supreme-court-to-review-section-702-surveillance/ ## Related Posts: #### Those 3 Big Lies That We Were Told By The State https://steemit.com/history/@doitvoluntarily/those-3-big-lies-that-we-were-told-by-the-state #### NSA Still Engaging In Bulk Data Collection Despite Legal Efforts To Curb Mass Surveillance https://steemit.com/news/@doitvoluntarily/nsa-still-engaging-in-bulk-data-collection-despite-legal-efforts-to-curb-mass-surveillance #### NSA Apparently Wants To Cut Back On Spying https://steemit.com/nsa/@doitvoluntarily/nsa-apparently-wants-to-cut-back-on-spying