As cited
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government policy
25 Years of Mass Surveillance Is Enough
For 25 years following September 11, 2001, the U.S. government has shifted from targeted surveillance to mass surveillance, initially justified by terrorism prevention but now routinely used by law enforcement, immigration authorities, and private companies. The architecture combines government agencies accessing data collected by private corporations, automated license plate readers, facial recognition systems, and cellphone location data, with artificial intelligence (AI) amplifying the scope and reach. Constitutional safeguards have eroded through legal doctrines that place mass surveillance outside Fourth Amendment protections, while abuse, mistakes, and chilling effects on First Amendment rights have compounded the risks.
Why it matters: Security practitioners and organizations must understand that mass surveillance infrastructure now permeates both government and private sectors; decisions about data collection, retention, and sharing with law enforcement have direct legal and ethical consequences, especially as AI tools automate analysis and the administration signals intent to use these capabilities against domestic activists and political opponents.
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