NSA’s Collection Of Americans’ Phone Records Ruled Illegal By Court

Photo: National Security Agency headquarters, Fort Meade, Md. – PATRICK SEMANSKY/ASSOCIATED PRESS

In 2013, Edward Snowden revealed that the National Security Agency (NSA) had been collecting and tapping into Americans’ phone records. This has caused uproar amongst the public and within the U.S. government. Many have questioned whether the NSA’s actions were right or wrong; violating the privacy of U.S. citizens.

The federal apeals court has decided and ruled that the NSA’s collection of citizens’ phone records are not legal under the Patriot Act.

A federal appeals court ruled Thursday that the National Security Agency’s controversial collection of Americans’ phone records, the subject of documents leaked by Edward Snowden, is not legal under the Patriot Act.

According to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, the collection of records “exceeds the scope of what Congress has authorized.” Nothing more was decided upon, and the case will go back to a lower court for further proceedings.

You can read the United States Court of Appeals document/ruling here: http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/NSA_ca2_20150507.pdf

The Academy Award winning documentary, CITIZENFOUR gives audiences an unprecedented access to filmmaker Laura Poitras and journalist Glenn Greenwald’s encounters with Edward Snowden in Hong Kong, as he handed over classified documents providing evidence of mass indiscriminate and illegal invasions of privacy by the National Security Agency (NSA). Learn more about the film here: https://citizenfourfilm.com/