Edward Snowden Slams Biden White House For Fourth Amendment Stance: They Are Arguing 'From The Podium' Against It

Edward Snowden expressed disdain over the White House’s recent stance on the Fourth Amendment, amidst growing concerns over privacy rights.

What Happened: On Thursday, Snowden took to Twitter to express his views about the White House’s recent stand on the Fourth Amendment. He tweeted, “The White House arguing, from the podium, that it no longer believes the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution ‘serves the interests of the United States.’ Super.”

The White House arguing, from the podium, that it no longer believes the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution "serves the interests of the United States."

Super. https://t.co/GMMWjf70gH

— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) February 14, 2024

The Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution safeguards individuals from unreasonable searches and seizures by the government, aiming to uphold privacy rights. While not shielding against all searches, only those deemed unreasonable under the law, it necessitates warrants based on probable cause

Snowden comments on X, formerly Twitter, included a video shared by the RNC Research which featured United States National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.

Sullivan declined to make a veto threat on behalf of the President regarding potential amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) . However, he emphasized that requiring a warrant for every query of lawfully collected data would not serve the national security interests of the United States.

Sullivan argued that such a requirement would undermine the purpose of FISA and put victims at risk. He stated, “We do not believe that that serves the national security interests of the United States.”

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Why it Matters: The White House’s recent stance on the Fourth Amendment and the subsequent reaction by Snowden adds another dimension to the ongoing debate over privacy and surveillance powers.

This comment comes amidst a backdrop of increasing debate over privacy rights. The government’s warrantless surveillance powers are under scrutiny, with the House Republicans reportedly unveiling a new package for reauthorizing and reforming these powers.

The upcoming expiration of Section 702 of the FISA in April has spurred debates in Congress. The latest text of the bill, a combination of House proposals, leans toward reforms suggested by the House Intelligence Committee rather than the Judiciary’s, omitting a warrant requirement, a key demand for privacy advocates, reported The Hill.

Snowden, a former U.S. intelligence contractor, has been vocal about privacy concerns in the past. In December 2023, he criticized Google’s parent Alphabet and Apple for their data-sharing practices with the Department of Justice, describing it as a direct invasion of individuals’ privacy.

His comments also come at a crucial moment when there’s a growing distrust in institutions. Snowden had previously tweeted about institutions eroding the public’s faith, coinciding with the rise of Artificial Intelligence.

Photo via Wikimedia

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