Patriot Act
Post-9/11 legislation
The Patriot Act is a U.S. law passed shortly after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, expanding government surveillance and investigative powers.
The name is an acronym: Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism.
Critics argue it overreaches into civil liberties; supporters call it essential for national security.
The Patriot Act allowed warrantless wiretapping.
One's native land
- counterterrorismCombating organized political violence
- threatIndication of potential harm
- defenseProtection against harm
- protectionGuarding against harm
border · terrorism · September 11 · national security · emergency · crisis · biodefense · infrastructure
Hidden listening device
- monitoringOngoing observation of something
- NSAFederal cryptologic intelligence agency
- FBIU.S. domestic intelligence agency
- CIAU.S. foreign intelligence service
intelligence · metadata · intercept · tracking · watchlist · data collection · email monitoring · library records
Freedom from observation
- civil libertiesRights limiting government power
- overreachExceed one's capacity
- criticismJudgment of faults
- debateFormal argument on issues
ACLU · EFF · constitutional · Fourth Amendment · opposition · protest · infringement · abuse
homeland
One's native land
- counterterrorismCombating organized political violence
- threatIndication of potential harm
- defenseProtection against harm
protection · border · terrorism · September 11 · national security · emergency · crisis · biodefense · infrastructure · safeguard
wiretap
Hidden listening device
- monitoringOngoing observation of something
- NSAFederal cryptologic intelligence agency
- FBIU.S. domestic intelligence agency
CIA · intelligence · metadata · intercept · tracking · watchlist · data collection · email monitoring · library records · financial records
privacy
Freedom from observation
- civil libertiesRights limiting government power
- overreachExceed one's capacity
- criticismJudgment of faults
debate · ACLU · EFF · constitutional · Fourth Amendment · opposition · protest · infringement · abuse · reform
Congress
U.S. lawmaking body
- statuteEnacted written rule
- lawBinding principle or regulation
- bipartisanInvolving both major parties
Senate · House · bill · amendment · provision · clause · enactment · federal · government · policy
- Federal Lawsfederal laws, congressional acts, acts, ADA, HIPAA
- surveillance lawwiretap, FISA, phone tap, electronic surveillance, eavesdropping
- Asian AmericaCrazy Rich Asians, Michelle Yeoh, Bruce Lee, Sandra Oh, Shang-Chi
- national securityCIA, FBI, NSA, Pentagon, DHS
- surveillance statesecret police, mass surveillance, informants, wiretapping, phone tapping
- security lawnational security, counterterrorism, classified information, security clearance, state secrets
Patriot ActBill of Rights
Initial constitutional amendments guaranteeing freedoms
Fourth Amendment · due process · habeas corpus · privacy rights · right to privacy
Patriot ActPrivacy Act
Law protecting personal information
GDPR · end-to-end encryption · whistleblower protections · sunshine laws · FOIA
act, patriot, patriotism, patriotic, expatriate, compatriot, unpatriotic, repatriation, repatriate