June 30, 2023
According to a declassified report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), U.S. intelligence services acquired massive amounts of personal information on Americans from commercial data brokers.
People’s location and travel history, political convictions, religious beliefs and affiliations, sexual orientation, weight and blood pressure, speech patterns, emotional states, behavioral information regarding a variety of hobbies, purchasing patterns, and relatives and friends are all included in the data. The intelligence agencies then utilize this information to develop extensive profiles of individuals that may be used to follow their activities, anticipate their behavior, and detect possible threats.
According to the study, the intelligence community lacks clear procedures for exploiting bought data. This lack of oversight raises worries about possible abuse, such as following people without their permission, constructing comprehensive profiles for surveillance, manipulation, propaganda, and discrimination.
Experts are concerned about the report’s conclusions about privacy and the possibility of government spying. The ODNI also acknowledged the hazards connected with getting this data, but maintains that it is necessary for their agencies to meet their objectives.
The sources for this piece include an article in TechXplore.
