In the United States, a different kind of institutional threat is under scrutiny. Freedom of the Press Foundation convened four experts to discuss Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), the controversial law that allows the FBI and intelligence agencies to access Americans’ communications without a warrant. The law is up for renewal in Congress, and both the Trump administration and some Democratic lawmakers are pushing for reauthorization without significant reforms.
The law has been “repeatedly misused, including to monitor journalists and activists,” according to FPF. Among those raising alarms are Wired investigative reporter Dell Cameron, Senator Ron Wyden’s deputy chief of staff John Dickas, and advocacy groups like Demand Progress. Their central argument: without robust safeguards, Section 702 remains a tool that can chill press freedom and undermine the ability of journalists to protect their sources.