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FBI director Kash Patel admitted that the agency is buying location data that can be used to track people’s movements. A closed session immediately followed the hearing.
“We do purchase commercially available information that’s consistent with the Constitution and the laws under the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, and it has led to some valuable intelligence for us,” Patel said at a hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday. Unlike information obtained from cell phone providers, this data can be accessed without a warrant – and used to track anyone.
Patel would not commit to senators’ requests that the agency stop buying Americans’ location data.
