US Senator Urges Probe of Abuse of Private Browsing Records by Federal Agencies

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd September, 2022) The inspectors general charged with overseeing the operations of the departments of Homeland Security, Defense and Justice must investigate the widespread use and reported abuse of the web browsing records of US citizens without warrants being issued and due process being followed, Sen. Ron Wyden wrote in a letter to the three officials on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, Vice.com reported that many elements in the US armed forces have bought access to Augury, a powerful internet monitoring tool developed by Team Cymru that claims to monitor more than 90% of global internet traffic, and that can offer access to private email data and browsing history.

Wyden "today requested the inspectors general for the departments of Homeland Security, Defense and Justice to investigate the warrantless purchase and use of American's web browsing records, based on evidence in public records and from a government whistleblower," a press release from his office said.

In his letter to the three inspectors general, Wyden said public contracting records and a Defense Department whistleblower had revealed new details about the extent of federal internet record purchases.

"(P)ublicly available government contracts show multiple federal agencies have purchased access to internet metadata, including US Cyber Command, the Army, the Navy's Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation," the Democratic senator wrote.

The US Secret Service also has contracts with the same data broker, according to public records, the senator wrote in his letter.

"I request that your offices investigate the warrantless purchase and use of Americans' internet browsing records by the agencies under your jurisdictions. Your independent oversight must ensure that the government's surveillance activities are consistent with the Supreme Court's Carpenter decision and safeguard Americans' Fourth Amendment rights," Wyden wrote.