Updated 2026-03-19 14:35 UTC
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FBI is buying location data to track US citizens, director confirms

What happened

FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed during a michigan-senate-race.html" class="story-link" title="Warren backing McMorrow in Michigan Senate race">Senate hearing that the agency purchases commercially available location data that can track Americans' movements. Unlike data obtained from cell phone providers, this information can be accessed without a warrant. The FBI stated it will continue the practice, describing it as consistent with constitutional and legal requirements.

Why people care
This revelation raises significant privacy concerns about government surveillance of citizens without traditional legal oversight. The ability to purchase location data commercially allows law enforcement to bypass warrant requirements that would normally apply to obtaining demands-movies-and-tv-shows-restate.html" class="story-link" title="Netflix Execs ‘Laughed’ at Claim the Streamer Demands Movies and TV Shows Restat">such information directly from telecom companies.
The takes
Privacy advocates say

This practice circumvents Fourth Amendment protections by allowing warrantless surveillance through commercial data brokers. Citizens have a reasonable expectation that their location data won't be accessible to government agencies without judicial oversight, regardless of whether it's technically available for purchase.

FBI says

The agency is operating within constitutional and legal boundaries by purchasing information that's already commercially available. This data helps support legitimate law enforcement and national security investigations while using established legal frameworks for accessing publicly available commercial information.

Sources
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