Surveillance Legislation

Definition

Surveillance legislation refers to laws and regulations that govern the collection, storage, and monitoring of information by government agencies or private entities. This legislation often outlines the scope of surveillance activities and sets limits on how they can be conducted to ensure privacy rights are protected.

Related terms

Patriot Act: Passed after 9/11, this law expanded the government's surveillance powers to combat terrorism but faced criticism for potentially violating Fourth Amendment protections.

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA): This act regulates electronic surveillance conducted by U.S. intelligence agencies against foreign powers or agents suspected of involvement in espionage or terrorism.

Metadata: Information about communication records such as phone numbers involved, duration, and location data used for surveillance purposes without accessing the actual content of communications.