The House Judiciary Committee passed a proposed legislation known as the Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act

Lawmakers in the House Judiciary Committee have unanimously passed the Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act, which aims to prohibit government agencies from purchasing data without a warrant. This legislation was prompted by Motherboard's ongoing revelations about the location data industry.

By approving this act, both Democrats and Republicans on the committee have made it clear that the Data Broker Loophole must be closed. Prior investigations by Motherboard and the Wall Street Journal have shown that the U.S. military and various law enforcement agencies have been purchasing location data obtained from smartphone apps without proper consent. Senator Ron Wyden, co-author of the bill along with Senator Rand Paul, has also revealed that the Pentagon is conducting surveillance on Americans without obtaining a warrant.

In response to the Committee's announcement, Wyden stated, "The Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act will restore Americans' Fourth Amendment rights and prevent the government from making purchases without proper warrants. Regular individuals who use their phones every day do not consent to sharing their every movement, contact, and online activity with the government. I commend the Judiciary Committee for advancing our bipartisan bill and anticipate similar progress in the Senate." The bill will now move forward to the full House for consideration.

- CyberBeat