In a recent development, Senator Ron Wyden has raised significant concerns about the Data Analytical Services (DAS), previously known as the Hemisphere Project, a surveillance program that he claims illegally authorizes government agencies to monitor and analyze the phone records of Americans, including those not suspected of any crime.

In a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, Wyden, a Democrat, urged the release of all related documents, which, while not classified, have been labeled “Law Enforcement Sensitive.”

The Hemisphere program, operated in conjunction with AT&T, involves chain analysis, a method allowing agencies to spy not only on targeted individuals but also on their contacts, without warrants.

This collaboration dates back to 1987, with AT&T analyzing U.S. call records for various law enforcement agencies.

The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) has been funding this initiative since 2009, contributing over $6 million.

Wyden’s letter highlights the program’s lack of a mandatory Privacy Impact Assessment due to its indirect federal funding through AT&T via a grant program.

He pointed out the program’s resurrection under the Trump administration in 2017 and its continuation in 2022 after a brief pause.

The senator described the Hemisphere Project as “AT&T’s Super Search Engine” and “Google on Steroids,” underscoring the extent of its capabilities.

In light of these revelations, Wyden, alongside Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Representatives Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) and Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif), has introduced the Government Surveillance Reform Act.

This bill aims to reform surveillance laws, ensuring broader authority for government agencies to collect information on threats while strengthening privacy protections for law-abiding Americans.

It seeks to restore warrant protections fundamental to the Fourth Amendment and addresses the misuse of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

This section, set to expire at the end of the year, has been criticized for warrantless surveillance and incidental data collection from Americans.

The FBI’s misuse of the Section 702 database was confirmed by a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court opinion, released in May by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Department of Justice.

This misuse included over 278,000 instances, involving searches related to Capitol protesters, donors to congressional candidates, and those arrested after George Floyd’s death.

Additionally, Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ) expressed his concerns, stating, “These programs are all about CONTROL over Americans.”

This reflects a growing sentiment of apprehension and demand for greater transparency and reform in government surveillance practices.

The issue at hand is not just about privacy but also about upholding constitutional rights in an era of advanced surveillance technologies.