US Senate blocks attempt to stop FBI accessing Americans’ browsing history without a warrant

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy An attempt to stop law enforcement agencies from accessing Americans’ internet histories without a warrant has failed in the US Senate – by a single vote. While that bill does introduce certain new privacy protections, including a restriction on how cell phone data may be used, many civil libertarians both inside and outside Congress are concerned that it does not do enough to keep Americans safe from excessive surveillance, especially in their online lives. Speaking on the Senate floor, Mr Wyden put the case to his colleagues that the government’s power to gain access to browsing and search history should be curtailed, reminding them that during the current pandemic, tens of millions of Americans staying at home are using the internet more than ever as their only connection to the outside world – including for very private personal reasons that they should be entitled to keep to themselves. “It is digital mining of the personal lives of the American people … without this bipartisan amendment, it is open season on anybody’s most personal information.” The amendment needed 60 votes to pass, but in the end, only 59 senators backed it.