Rule 41 Lets FBI Spread Spyware Across The Country

Rule 41 is about to quietly pass through congress. Ana Kasparian and John Iadarola, hosts of The Young Turks, break it down. Tell us what you think in the comment section below.

"It’s been a bad week for privacy and surveillance advocates in the US and UK. On Thursday, Rule 41 will go into effect in the US, giving the government vast and unprecedented powers to hack into the phones, computers, and other devices of Americans. Less than 24 hours ago, the UK government voted to legalize mass surveillance programs in the country.

Rule 41, officially known as the Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 41, goes into effect on Dec. 1 unless a last-ditch effort by Senators Wyden, Coons, and Daines on Wednesday succeeds in delaying the bill by three months. The senators, who were part of earlier efforts to delay the bill, have warned that the proposed changes to Rule 41 by the Supreme Court would broaden the government’s ability to hack into personal devices such as computers or smartphones. “This rule change would give the government unprecedented authority to hack into Americans’ personal devices. This was an alarming proposition before the election,” Senator Ron Wyden said in an emailed statement to BuzzFeed News. “Today, Congress needs to think long and hard about whether to hand this power to [FBI Director] James Comey and the administration of someone who openly said he wants the power to hack his political opponents the same way Russia does.”

Under Rule 41 as it currently stands, warrants into computers and smartphones are approved by judges within the same jurisdictions as warrants for physical searches, with law enforcement officials specifying a computer in a specific location that they will hack into. But under the proposed changes to Rule 41, one warrant can be used on multiple computers, which privacy advocates say could affect tens of thousands of computers that are quietly infected, for instance, with botnets. Warrants can be issued to hack into computers in undisclosed locations or hidden by “technological means,” such as Tor browsers that mask a user’s identity. Lastly, there is a subtle shift in language from the current law, which states that the government must notify individuals who are involved in search and seizure. The new wording says the government must “make a reasonable effort.” Privacy advocates say this leaves the door open for the government to start hacking into people’s personal devices without their knowledge.”*

Read more here

Hosts: Ana Kasparian, John Iadarola

Cast: Ana Kasparian, John Iadarola

***

The Largest Online News Show in the World. Hosted by Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian. LIVE STREAMING weekdays 68pm ET.

Young Turk (n), 1. Young progressive or insurgent member of an institution, movement, or political party. 2. Young person who rebels against authority or societal expectations. (American Heritage Dictionary)

Download audio and video of the full two hour show ondemand + the membersonly post game show by becoming a member at Your membership supports the day to day operations and is vital for our continued success and growth.

Get The Young Turks Mobile App Today!

Download the iOS version here

Download the Android version here