Government Discloses Sharp Increase in Unmaskings of Americans in Surveillance Program

The National Security Agency (NSA) identified Americans or U.S. entities in intelligence reports nearly tripled from the previous year, reaching over 31,300 instances, according to a recent government disclosure. This surge in unmaskings was attributed to foreign hackers targeting critical infrastructure rather than individual people.

The report, released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, sheds light on the use of electronic surveillance powers by intelligence agencies. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) of 1978 allows the government to collect data from foreigners abroad without a warrant through Section 702, which has been a subject of controversy since its inception in 2008.

Recent years have seen instances where FBI officials conducted searches using American identifiers that later violated standards, including searches related to lawmakers, Black Lives Matter protesters, and Capitol riot suspects. Despite recent restrictions imposed on the FBI’s use of Section 702, the number of Americans identified in intelligence reports continues to rise.

Privacy advocates have called for stricter regulations on government surveillance, while national security officials argue that such measures would hinder the program’s effectiveness. A recent proposal to add limits to the Section 702 extension bill was met with a tie vote in the House, highlighting the ongoing debate surrounding surveillance practices.