Last week’s article in the Wall Street Journal offers a glimpse of the type of data – intercepted emails, texts, and other electronic communications – that can be accessed by the FBI as part of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
Section 702 allows the National Security Agency to siphon streams of electronic data from US technology providers such as Meta, Apple, and others. The data, collected in intelligence repositories, can be searched without a warrant by the FBI and other agencies.
Set to expire at the end of the year, an advisory group has recommended Section 702 should not be reauthorized. This would impede the FBI from having access to this trove of data, citing privacy concerns.
Take a moment to think through the implications of this capability.
Whether Section 702 is reauthorized or not, Americans should seriously re-think their use of apps, websites, social networks, as well as the connectivity providers offering access.
Closely examining the terms of service and privacy policies of apps and online services, especially those that are free, permits the collection of all types of personal information, as well as that of co-workers and family members.
Even when using the “privacy controls” of web-based apps and social media, your device and service provider may be collecting information.
Put simply, nothing is free. If you are not paying for an app or service, then you are the product, and it is your data that is harvested – primarily for advertising and other legitimate purposes. However, Section 702 provides a way for agencies to gain access to this information without a warrant, pushing personal privacy to the edge.
Designed to make privacy simple, QTel (formerly Qphone) offers a secure communications platform that ensures personal information and conversations are never compromised. All text, phone calls, chat and video conferences are safeguarded using end-to-end encryption, thus personal information and communications between authorized QTel users remain private and secure.
Click here to schedule a call to learn more about QTel.
