GoKawiil25 Years After 9/11, Mass Surveillance Now Reaches Beyond National Security
Cindy Cohn and Bruce Schneier trace how post-9/11 mass surveillance infrastructure, originally justified for counterterrorism, has expanded into routine domestic policing, immigration enforcement by ICE, and private security systems like facial recognition and license plate readers. They highlight that government agencies increasingly rely on private companies' data—including purchasing information directly from data brokers, as confirmed by FBI Director Kash Patel—rather than going through traditional legal channels.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The piece underscores how the line between corporate data collection and government surveillance has blurred, letting agencies sidestep warrant requirements by simply buying data. As surveillance technology and private data markets grow more sophisticated, the scope of who can be watched—and for what purpose—keeps expanding well beyond the original national security rationale.
- Mass surveillance tools built for counterterrorism are now used in routine law enforcement and immigration enforcement.
- Private companies like data brokers and facial recognition firms are key suppliers of surveillance data to government agencies.
- FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the bureau buys data on Americans from brokers, bypassing traditional legal processes.
Data and Goliath by Bruce Schneier — Co-author Bruce Schneier's book digs into exactly the topic of this piece: how corporate data collection and government mass surveillance feed each other. It's an accessible deep dive for anyone who read the article and wants the full argument, plus practical thinking about what to do about it.
See Data and Goliath by Bruce Schneier on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: lawfaremedia.org — Cindy Cohn, 2026-09-15
Published there as: “25 Years of Mass Surveillance Is Enough [Auth: Cindy Cohn; Bruce Schneier]”
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