The only election interference happening in this country is coming straight from the White House, and no amount of pathetic late night rambling from a failing, fading president will change anyone’s mind
The Trump administration is trying to make it easier for Big Tech to build a data center in your backyard to pollute your air and drinking water. We need strong, comprehensive legislation to crack down on the chaos data centers are causing in our communities and I'm working to get it done.
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield@agdanrayfield.bsky.social · last mo.A new EPA proposal would weaken the Clean Air Act and pave the way for data center construction – and we’re opposing it. Part of keeping communities safe is making sure our air is safe to breathe, and our water is safe to drink. We’ll keep fighting to protect Oregonians. #orpol
In light of this decision, the federal government should rethink if it can continue to buy Americans' location data without a warrant. I'll keep pushing for black-letter law that would stop the sale of your data to anyone, including the government.
More Perfect Union@moreperfectunion.bsky.social · last mo.BREAKING: In a landmark 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court rules that "geofence warrants," which allow law enforcement to collect sweeping smartphone location data over a broad area, constitute an "unreasonable search" and violate the Fourth Amendment. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
It doesn’t matter who’s in charge. FISA 702 can’t be renewed without real reforms. Case in point: Trump’s latest nominee for director of national intelligence was peddling election conspiracies just a few days ago.
Kyle Griffin@kylegriffin1.bsky.social · 2mo agoBreaking: Trump says he's nominating Jay Clayton, the current U.S. Attorney for the SDNY, to be Director of National Intelligence. Just this week on CNBC, Clayton said the "American people are right to question" California's elections. To be clear: There is no evidence of fraud in those elections.
Wyden responds to Republicans voting against his proposal, claims they are working to hide surveillance abuses that he’s previously said are classified and would shock the nation. (Many Republican also back his proposals.)
dell cameron@dell.bsky.social · 2mo agoNEW-NEW: Hearing @wyden.senate.gov is now offering two options for unanimous consent on the floor: a 9-month 702 extension that requires warrants to view Americans’ communications, or a short 5-week extension with basic transparency reforms.
An update on where things stand on FISA: Early Friday morning, we successfully defeated a bill in the Senate to rubber-stamp the Trump administration's authority to spy on Americans without a warrant. This is a big win on privacy.
Bill Pulte appears to be unburdened by intelligence or any semblance of ethics. His appointment at ODNI is one more reason every single Democrat should vote against rubber stamping the Trump administration's FISA Section 702 spying powers.
MeidasTouch@meidastouch.com · 2mo agoTrump says he is appointing his ally and loyalist Bill Pulte as Acting DNI. Pulte has no national intelligence experience, but he has used his current role as head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency to pursue phony mortgage fraud allegations against Trump’s political opponents.
Incredible quote from Wyden, that it is time to "start treating the adtech industry as a national security threat."
Raphael Satter@raphae.li · 2mo agoScoop: Central Command is getting reports that military personnel are being targeted using commercially available location data. Few details available, but it’s a sign that the tech industry’s advertising-surveillance complex is having consequences on the battlefield. www.reuters.com/business/med...
WYDEN: "Founding Fathers would roll over in their graves if they knew the govt was able to demand a list of everyone a person called and texted, everyone who watches a YouTube video or visits a website, or uncover anonymous social media accounts, all without a warrant or court order of any kind"
Wyden, Lummis, Espaillat, Massie, Kelly, and Burlison Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Rein in Government Abuse of Subpoenas, Protect Americans’ Rights | U.S. Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon
The Official U.S. Senate website of Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon
wyden.senate.gov
A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers has introduced legislation that would make it harder for federal investigators to obtain phone records and also would prevent the government from weaponizing a secretive legal instrument it has used to target critics.
Subpoena bill would curtail secretive tool used to target government critics
The bipartisan legislation, which comes after a Washington Post investigation, would also limit the federal government’s ability to obtain phone records without a judge’s order.
washingtonpost.com
Any member of Congress that votes for a clean FISA reauthorization is voting to hand Kash Patel, Stephen Miller and Donald Trump the power to spy on Americans without a warrant on a silver platter.
The NSA and FBI have been spying on you without a warrant using section 702 of FISA for decades. Trump wants Congress to renew the law. Here are concrete examples of how this law has been abused – across administrations – and why Congress shouldn't rubber-stamp it.
Update on where things stand on FISA: this deal is a win. We got the House to back down from an 18 month extension, buying us time to negotiate on real reforms. I'll be fighting like hell for reforms that put your privacy first, and will have more to share soon.
David Dayen@ddayen.bsky.social · 4mo agoGood summary of last night's ultimately failed shenanigans on FISA from @jamesjbaratta.bsky.social. Reform advocates are in the best position they've been maybe ever. prospect.org/2026/04/17/m...
I sent a classified letter to House and Senate colleagues about a secret interpretation of surveillance law that every American should be concerned about. Representative Massie is right. The Constitution requires EVERY member to vote against a clean reauthorization.
My bill, the Government Surveillance Reform Act, would close all of these loopholes and finally provide real privacy for Americans. Congress must pass the reforms in this bill and restore Americans’ rights against advances in AI and surveillance tech.
Wyden, Lee, Davidson and Lofgren Introduce Bill to Reform FISA Section 702, Protect Americans’ Constitutional Rights and Plug Data Broker Surveillance Loophole | U.S. Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon
The Official U.S. Senate website of Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon
wyden.senate.gov
The federal government – ICE, FBI, and more – is spying on you without a warrant. This week, Congress will decide whether Kash Patel, Stephen Miller and Trump can keep spying on Americans. If that scares you (it should) this thread is for you.
NPR@npr.org · 4mo agoSection 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is responsible for a huge share of intel collected by the U.S. Lawmakers and civil liberties advocates are worried it enables warrantless spying on U.S. citizens. n.pr/41wU5YA
An important new bill from @wyden.senate.gov and @balint.house.gov would finally give some teeth to the law that’s supposed to prevent newsroom raids and seizures of journalists’ files. Tell your lawmakers to support it with our action center.
Tell Congress to put a stop to newsroom raids
Defending press freedom for the next generation
freedom.press
Kash Patel refused to deny that the FBI is buying up Americans' location data. This is a shocking end run around the 4th amendment and exactly why we need to pass real privacy reforms NOW.
Headquarters@headquartersnews.bsky.social · 5mo agoSen. Wyden: Can you commit to not buying Americans' location data? Kash Patel: The FBI uses all tools to do our mission
Sen. Wyden: Can you commit to not buying Americans' location data? Kash Patel: The FBI uses all tools to do our mission
Just so we're all clear, this is a war crime and would be punishable by life or death under U.S. law.
Matt Novak@paleofuture.bsky.social · 5mo agoHegseth: "We will keep pushing, keep advancing. No quarter, no mercy for our enemies." No quarter is the refusal to take prisoners and instead just execute everyone. It's been considered a war crime for over a century.
The government can legally scoop up and read Americans' emails and texts, track everywhere they go, and feed huge amounts of data into AI without court oversight. Next month, Congress will have a chance to rein it all in. I'm leading a bipartisan bill to restore real privacy.
dell cameron@dell.bsky.social · 5mo agoNEW: A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced a bill requiring warrants for FBI searches of Americans' communications under FISA, aligning federal law w/ a 2025 ruling that found the practice unconstitutional. It would also ban the government from buying Americans' private data from data brokers.
I've long been sounding the alarm on Section 702 of FISA, and secret, legal loopholes the government uses to spy on Americans. The program is up for reauthorization in April and I'll be fighting like hell to make sure the current program doesn’t get rubber stamped.
Burgess Everett@burgessev.bsky.social · 5mo agoSen. Ron Wyden says there's secret classified info in 702 surveillance program about Americans' privacy “The American people are going to be stunned that it took so long and that Congress has been debating this authority with insufficient information" www.semafor.com/newsletter/0...
Turns out lawlessness is not a winning strategy. See you at Nuremberg 2.0
Kyle Griffin@kylegriffin1.bsky.social · 5mo agoBREAKING: KRISTI NOEM IS OUT AT DHS. TRUMP SAYS HE'S REPLACING HER WITH SEN. MARKWAYNE MULLIN.
DHS is abusing administrative subpoenas to target and silence its critics. @repespaillat.bsky.social and I will be introducing legislation that would make this practice illegal and help end these authoritarian abuses.
Homeland Security Wants Social Media Sites to Expose Anti-ICE Accounts
nytimes.com
When I wrote Section 230 I did so knowing it would be critical for protecting free speech online. 30 years later and it’s one of the last things standing in the way of Republican censorship of the internet. Here’s to many more years of defending this vital safeguard of free speech.
Really enjoyed chatting more with @tressiemcphd.bsky.social about how the federal government is weaponizing private data. Privacy has become a life-and-death issue, and I have a plan to rein the government in. Thread:
Opinion | ICE Is Watching You
nytimes.com
Senator Ron Wyden@wyden.senate.gov · 6mo agoI am. But there are three things at play here regarding ICE collecting private data. Quick rundown on the issue, why you should be paying attention, and what I'm doing about it:
I am. But there are three things at play here regarding ICE collecting private data. Quick rundown on the issue, why you should be paying attention, and what I'm doing about it:
Tressie McMillan Cottom@tressiemcphd.bsky.social · 6mo agoSo which politician is calling for the dismantling of the probably illegal database that ice & this government is collecting biometric data of protesters?
I wrote section 230 to protect user speech, not a company's own speech. I've long said AI chatbot outputs are not protected by 230 and that it is not a close call. Given that the Trump administration is going to the mat to protect pedophiles, states should step in to hold Musk and X accountable.
Hairybusiness@hairybusiness.bsky.social · 7mo agoI am not a Section 230 expert but being that Twitter is creating and publishing these photos I wonder if they actually have any civil legal protection? @kenwhite.bsky.social ? @akivamcohen.bsky.social ?
Reminding everyone for no particular reason that Section 230 is one of the last things standing between free speech online and Trump having control over everything you see and say on the internet
I ♥️ encryption
John Perrino@johnperrino.com · 10mo agoSenator Ron Wyden calls on the Internet Society community to 📣 "GET LOUD" 📣 this Global Encryption Day! "Get loud because you are the glue that holds the Internet together." - @wyden.senate.gov Thank you for fighting for the Internet to give power to the powerless and a voice to the voiceless!