US lawmakers target data brokers and facial recognition in new surveillance bill
A proposed law would require warrants for accessing digital data and limit the use of biometric and commercial surveillance tools.
Two US lawmakers have introduced legislation that would significantly restrict how authorities access digital data and use surveillance technologies.
The proposal focuses on a shift that has taken place in policing and intelligence gathering. Instead of searching homes or devices, agencies increasingly rely on databases, commercial data brokers, and automated systems that track behaviour in public and online spaces.
At the centre of the bill is a requirement that authorities obtain a warrant before accessing personal data, including information held by companies such as telecom providers, cloud services, or financial platforms. This would apply even where data is already shared with private firms, challenging existing legal assumptions that such data carries lower privacy protections.
The measure also draws a clear line around biometric systems. Tools like facial recognition, voice identification, and automated license plate readers would fall under stricter rules, limiting their use without judicial approval.
The proposal includes enforcement provisions that would allow individuals to take legal action if their rights are violated.
The bill enters a broader policy debate in Washington, where lawmakers are reassessing how constitutional protections apply to modern forms of surveillance, particularly as data collection increasingly takes place outside traditional investigative settings.
