American businesses are sharing your personal information with the government!
U.S. intelligence agencies and law enforcement are gathering vast amounts of data on Americans through data brokers, mirroring practices seen in authoritarian regimes like China.
America traditionally limits the information citizens provide to the state to protect civil liberties and restrict government powers. The requirement for police warrants to track individuals or conduct surveillance on them is an example of this. Intelligence agencies are expected to focus their efforts overseas and are prohibited from targeting Americans for surveillance.
The American social contract is centered around balancing public safety and individual liberty. However, the growing collection and sale of data by American corporations are challenging this contract.
Today, police can track Americans’ movements without a warrant using cell phone or car tracking. Intelligence agencies can access internet browsing data without hacking into systems. Governments can also monitor social media conversations by purchasing data from data brokers.
The data collected by apps, websites, and advertisements is fed into a complex system accessible to advertisers, with the market for such data reaching billions of dollars. Data brokers, including well-known companies like LexisNexis and smaller vendors like Babel Street, enable this collection and sharing of information.
While many companies claim the data they sell is anonymous, certain datasets like geolocation can still reveal personal details. This lack of privacy poses significant threats to civil liberties and privacy for Americans.
Despite the recent ban on certain countries accessing American data, the U.S. government has not restricted its own agencies from purchasing data from brokers. This legal process allows government bodies, from intelligence agencies to local police forces, to gather information on citizens.
A bipartisan proposal in Congress aims to prevent government agencies from purchasing data on Americans, but faces opposition from the Biden administration.
America differs from China in its democratic structure and rule of law. However, the extensive sale of personal data is challenging the nation’s fundamental social contract.
Byron Tau is the author of “Means of Control: How the Hidden Alliance of Tech and Government Is Creating a New American Surveillance State,” released on February 27th.
