1. United States
2. R.I.
3. Letter

I’m reaching out, compelled by my commitment to human rights, to strongly urge you to oppose the reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). This section is crucial because renewal could dramatically expand government surveillance powers, sparking serious concerns about Americans' privacy. My primary worry is that Congress might renew these surveillance tools without closing the troubling data broker loophole, which currently allows mass data collection and bypasses the reforms enacted in 2015. Those reforms were designed to ensure judicial oversight over domestic bulk data collection by requiring court approval for government purchases of U.S. citizens’ data from third-party brokers, who often collect and sell personal information without explicit consent. Closing this loophole would strengthen legal safeguards, making sure access to Americans’ data is properly overseen, especially before it’s used in AI-driven surveillance systems. Such measures are vital to protecting our civil liberties. Recently, The New York Times revealed that the Department of Defense is asking AI firms to enable widespread domestic surveillance by collecting and analyzing large amounts of data on Americans, including geolocation, browsing habits, and online activity. This indicates that major AI companies may already be involved in agreements allowing extensive data collection under the guise of legality. The sunset clauses of FISA were created to promote ongoing review and oversight, underscoring the importance of adapting privacy protections as technology advances. Balancing existing surveillance laws with emerging AI capabilities poses a critical policy challenge with profound implications for civil liberties and human rights. As a constituent, I urge you to advocate for reauthorization that explicitly closes the data-broker loophole and bans the use of taxpayer funds for circumventing Fourth Amendment protections. Allowing agencies to exploit this gap to expand AI surveillance poses a serious risk of severe privacy violations. Data brokers often sell Americans’ private information , such as location, online behavior, and personal preferences, without their knowledge or consent. A YouGov poll shows that 80% of Americans believe warrants should be necessary before such data is purchased. Yet, recent reports suggest the Department of Defense may be negotiating contracts that could make AI-based surveillance even more pervasive, raising serious oversight questions. As AI technology progresses rapidly, there’s widespread concern that these tools could enable unprecedented invasions of privacy and threaten our fundamental rights. Congress must act swiftly to establish strong legal safeguards governing AI in surveillance. Reauthorizing Section 702 of FISA offers a critical chance for Congress to defend Americans’ right to privacy. I urge you to include provisions requiring court approval for government purchases of sensitive data from brokers. Congress must take decisive action to prevent unchecked, warrantless mass surveillance that endangers our privacy and civil liberties. As technological capabilities expand, so does the risk of unjust monitoring, making timely protections more important than ever to preserve our rights.