At present, there are serious questions regarding many aspects of the impending Donald Trump era of government. One concern is that surveillance policies may see some modification, making it even more difficult for citizens to retain their privacy.
According to the campaign director of Fight for the Future, an activist group, the Obama years saw an expansion of espionage programs that allowed the government to collect large amounts of data pertaining to people’s online and communications activities. The campaign director says that such mass surveillance programs are extremely dangerous and act without accountability.
And while there is no way to know the manner in which these powerful espionage tools may be used during Trump’s time in office, it’s worth noting that during his presidential run he urged targeting mosques in this country for surveillance. Trump has also voiced support for re-expanding the Patriot Act, which could make it easier for the National Security Agency to initiate surveillance on citizens.
Ostensibly, these efforts are supposed to be aimed at fighting terrorism. But when the government relaxes its legal requirements for performing surveillance on our internet and phone usage, it is much easier for them to hunt for and find incriminating evidence of alleged criminal activity of all kinds.
But even with the myriad of mechanisms that the federal government has at its disposal for gathering information, we still have rights. So if you have been accused of having committed a federal offense, it is very important that you have an experienced attorney who understands the limitations placed on federal authorities who use the Patriot Act and other tools for surveillance purposes. And if the government should overstep its legal boundaries, the attorney could fight to help ensure that you are not improperly prosecuted.
Source: Government Technology, “Cybersecurity Interest Increases Over Fears of Government Spying Under Trump ,” Marissa Lang, Nov. 21, 2016
