FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the agency is buying commercially available data to track people’s movements and activities.
This marks a shift from 2023, when former Director Christopher Wray said the FBI was no longer purchasing such data.
The data, sourced from brokers, can include location, browsing and financial information, raising concerns it bypasses warrant requirements set by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018.
Lawmakers, including Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah), have introduced a bill requiring warrants to purchase Americans’ personal data, citing privacy risks.
The practice remains controversial, with some officials like Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) defending it for security purposes, while agencies like the Defense Intelligence Agency also confirm similar data use.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is actively purchasing commercially available data that can be used to track individuals’ movements and location history, Director Kash Patel confirmed during a Senate hearing on Wednesday, March 18.
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