It’s surprising, really, but the United States has become one of the most surveilled nations globally. This close monitoring resembles the practices of more authoritarian governments like China, Russia, and Iran. It raises a question—how did a country known for its freedoms end up here?
The founders of this nation crafted the Bill of Rights to protect against governmental overreach. Freedoms such as speech and assembly, along with safeguards against unwarranted searches, were put in place to prevent the kind of constant surveillance we see today.
Since the events of September 11, mass surveillance has become routine. Cameras are ubiquitous, and data collection never ceases. Yet, how often do we stop and wonder who’s watching us, why they’re doing it, and just how long they’ll keep watching?
There are four significant components of this surveillance apparatus, and it’s Congress’s duty to dismantle each one.
FISA: From foreign espionage to domestic surveillance
Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) was intended to keep tabs on threats overseas. However, it’s now often misused to monitor American citizens.
Under the current administration, the FBI queried a vast database—3 million times in 2021 alone. In 2023, it was found that about 278,000 of those queries violated regulations, including the surveillance of political donors and even private individuals through online platforms. This isn’t simply a foreign intelligence operation; it’s unwarranted domestic spying that violates our Fourth Amendment rights.
Despite efforts to reform FISA, the proposed changes have fallen short. Genuine reform is necessary—like enforcing warrant requirements and preventing the government from sidestepping the Constitution by purchasing personal data from brokers. It’s Congress’s responsibility to ensure we uphold our constitutional rights.
But FISA is merely one part of the larger issue. Surveillance is creeping into our everyday lives through our vehicles.
Car kill switch
Tucked away in the Biden-era infrastructure bill is a requirement for new cars to feature what’s known as “advanced impaired driving prevention technology.” This means that starting in 2027, cars could automatically disable themselves without driver input if they detect impairment.
This raises serious red flags. Many existing systems have a high error rate, failing to distinguish between genuine impairment and benign factors like stress or road conditions. What started as a proposed safety measure could turn every car into a surveillance tool that reports to law enforcement. Our freedom to move isn’t entirely ours anymore. This requirement needs to be repealed.
The rise in surveillance has coincided with the increase in cameras throughout our neighborhoods.
Flock: Eyes everywhere
Automatic license plate readers, like those from Flock Safety, are in use across 49 states, scanning license plates billions of times each month. In my area of Texas, there are already plans to increase their presence.
These cameras combine AI and facial recognition technology, capturing not only vehicles but also their surroundings. Unfortunately, there’s minimal oversight, and some of this information is potentially exposed online.
This isn’t just a neighborhood watch—it’s a privatized surveillance system managed by local authorities. To ensure that these databases aren’t weaponized against citizens, Congress needs to take action.
Inevitably, there’s also the looming influence over our finances.
Central bank digital currency: programmable money
A Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) represents the final frontier of surveillance. While the Federal Reserve tracks major financial flows now, a CBDC would allow them to monitor every transaction in real time. This means the government could control what you can purchase, where you can spend, and even freeze your accounts at will.
Consider what happened in Canada during the protests against strict coronavirus measures; a CBDC would take that ordeal and amplify it. Your money could become conditional. Your financial freedom would be at risk.
We recognize where this path leads—intense surveillance in countries like China, Russia, and Iran enables oppression and social control. Americans must resist following that route.
The surveillance state isn’t a distant concept; its foundations are set in place. Unless we impose strict warrant requirements and constitutional safeguards, future generations will know nothing of true privacy.
Now is the time for action. Reform FISA, eliminate car kill switch mandates, ban CBDCs, and dismantle the surveillance network.
Safeguard the Fourth Amendment. Do it now before we lose our freedoms for good.
