Updated 2026-03-19 18:05 UTC
Corporate Chaos 110 Internet Wars 58 Power Moves 317 Money Panic 85 Science Fights 135 Culture Clash 161
85.0% chaos · meltdown power moves 7 sources

FBI is buying location data to track US citizens, director confirms

What happened

FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed during a Senate Markwayne Mullin’s Confirmation Hearing Was the Funniest in Ages—and Might Have ">hearing that the agency purchases commercially available location data that can be used to track Americans' movements. Unlike data obtained from cell phone providers, this information can be accessed without a warrant. The FBI states this practice is consistent with the Constitution and current laws, and indicates it will continue.

Why people care
This revelation raises significant privacy concerns as it allows Reserve keeps rates steady amid Iran">federal law enforcement to track citizens without traditional warrant protections. The practice exploits a legal gray area where commercially available data can be purchased rather than subpoenaed, potentially circumventing Fourth Amendment safeguards that typically govern government surveillance.
The takes
Privacy advocates say

This practice undermines constitutional protections by allowing the government to sidestep warrant requirements through commercial data purchases. The FBI is essentially buying surveillance capabilities that would normally require judicial oversight, creating a concerning end-run around Fourth Amendment protections.

FBI says

The agency's data purchases are legal and constitutional, involving only information that is already commercially available. This practice operates within existing legal frameworks and helps the FBI carry out its legitimate law enforcement and national security responsibilities.

Sources
Related stories