Patriot Act

The USA Patriot Act is a law that broadly expands the ability of the government to investigate electronically and surveil both U. S. citizens and foreign nationals around the world. It was pushed hurriedly through the U.S. Congress within weeks of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the U.S. by Al Queda. Described by the Electronic Frontier Foundation as representing "one of the most significant threats to civil liberties, privacy, and democratic traditions in US history", the controversial law is still in effect today, and per the EFF, it gives "sweeping search and surveillance to domestic law enforcement and foreign intelligence agencies and eliminates checks and balances that previously gave courts the opportunity to ensure that those powers were not abused."