States Urge Congress To Close Data Broker Loophole And Limit Warrantless Surveillance

CHICAGO — Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, joined by a coalition of 17 states, is urging Congress to act on what they call a data broker loophole that allows federal agencies to buy Americans’ personal data and use artificial intelligence tools for surveillance without warrants or oversight. The coalition is calling for laws requiring warrants for access to digital data, banning agencies from purchasing data that would otherwise need a warrant, preventing use of foreign intelligence authorities for domestic surveillance, and requiring deletion of unlawfully collected data and related systems. Officials say agencies have used commercially purchased data such as airline records and location information to track people’s movements and activities, raising concerns that existing privacy laws are outdated and do not address modern technology.