NSA surveillance programme reformed by new legislation

President Obama signed a bill that overhauls the NSA surveillance programme that has been in place since the terrorist attacks of 9/11. The Freedom Act would mark the end of a system exposed by Edward Snowden (RLA Laureate 2014).

The new legislation will no longer allow the NSA to look into Americans’ information records in bulk. Rather, it will leave the records in the hands of phone companies and provide the government with the ability to seek access only with a warrant. The bill also improves transparency processes for decisions in surveillance courts.