What was a criticism of the USA PATRIOT Act?
History · Middle School · Sun Jan 24 2021
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One prominent criticism of the USA PATRIOT Act is that it infringes on civil liberties and privacy. Critics argue that the Act grants excessive surveillance powers to law enforcement and intelligence agencies, which can lead to the collection of data on innocent citizens without sufficient oversight or probable cause. The Act allows for various forms of surveillance, such as wiretapping, accessing business records, and tracking internet activity, without the need for a traditional judicial warrant. This broad authority is seen as a potential violation of the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures. Concerns have been raised that the Act's provisions could be misused to target political activists and minority groups, leading to abuse of power.