Security News > 2020 > May > Internet giants unite to stop warrantless snooping on web histories
It didn't: the amendment to curtail warrantless web history search missed passage by only one vote when four senators didn't show up for the Senate's vote.
In a nutshell, Section 215 currently allows the government to collect the web browsing and internet searches of Americans without a warrant.
Senator Ron Wyden, who voted against reauthorization of the Freedom Act and who co-authored the failed amendment to stop warrantless web surveillance, noted that the powers conferred by Section 215 have been "Secretly interpreted and abused in the past."
The use of these authorities to spy on innocent Americans' web browsing and search histories is a screaming alarm warning us of future abuses.
Some of the senators who had pledged to outlaw warrantless web history browsing and internet search didn't show up for the vote, making it even more frustrating for those who would rather keep people's searches private unless the government gets a warrant.