[ajross]

I think Wyden is great, and broadly support the aim here. But the specifics just don't work for me. I mean, the argument presented by the article is that this is a fourth amendment violation: the government is conducting an unreasonable search by buying personal data.

But... sorry, that's batshit. Can there be ANY definition for "reasonable" more apt than "available for legal purchase on the public market"? If we don't want this stuff for sale, we should pass a law and get it out of the market.

Absent that, honestly? I think the NSA is one of the least threatening purchasers of this junk.

[hannasm]

It seems like the spirit of the 4th amendment could / should be applied to the corporations and big data brokers. The problem seems to be with how it's applied in practice, private entities are freely allowed to make insecure papers / effects (data) of their customers, claim it as their own property and then redistribute it.

If that was happening with physical property instead of digital data I don't think anyone would be confused about the legality of it.