US House passes amendment to cut funding for the NSA’s ‘backdoor’ spying initiatives

The US House of Representatives has just passed an amendment that bans the use of funds to hold “warrantless searches” in the communications of American citizens.

House passed our amendment to defund #NSA‘s backdoor surveillance on Americans @RepZoeLofgren @JimPressOffice

— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) June 20, 2014

This places limits on the National Security Agency (NSA) for building backdoors into communications including emails and chat histories — and is likely a welcome move for those opposed to mass surveillance, details of which were revealed in the wake of former NSA contractor Edward Snowden’s revelations. The amendment won’t be official till the Senate passes it, but it’s a major step forward.

In March, US President Barack Obama also formally proposed putting an end to the government collecting or holding call data in bulk.

➤ House passes amendment to cut NSA’s ‘backdoor search’ funding [Engadget]

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