The report highlights the potential impact on privacy and civil liberties due to the widespread availability of commercially available data. The US government lacks a privacy or data protection law governing the sharing and sale of Americans’ personal information. Therefore, there is a pressing need for safeguards and oversight mechanisms to protect individuals’ privacy rights.
Senator Ron Wyden requested the report’s declassification and expressed his concerns about the government’s handling of personal data. He points out that existing policies have failed to provide sufficient safeguards for Americans’ privacy and lack oversight on how agencies purchase and utilize personal data. Wyden calls for legislation to address these issues and protect individuals’ personal information from falling into the wrong hands.
The report cautions that commercially available data, even when sold in large quantities, can be easily used to identify individuals. For instance, location data collected from smartphones, watches, and other devices can reveal where a person lives or works. The data can also be used to identify people who participated in a protest, a rally, or any political gathering and use the information against them. The report highlights the potential misuse of this information, including facilitating blackmail, stalking, harassment, and public shaming.
The declassified report sheds light on the significant role of commercially available data in intelligence gathering by US spy agencies. While this data offers valuable insights, it also poses privacy risks to individuals. To strike a balance, there is a crucial need to implement robust safeguards, oversight mechanisms, and legislation that protect personal information and prevent unauthorized access.