The secret U.S. court that oversees the surveillance of terrorist and foreign espionage targets by U.S. agencies has authorized the National Security Agency (NSA) to keep collecting the phone records of people in the United States.
The U.S. director of national intelligence, James Clapper, said in a statement on October 11 that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court had given its approval.
Clapper said the disclosure is part of the Obama administration's effort to better explain how U.S. intelligence agencies use data obtained from sources in the United States.
Leaks this spring by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden revealed that U.S. agencies collect millions of pieces of data showing who Americans called and for how long.
Some critics have called such surveillance an invasion of privacy and of questionable use against terrorists.
The U.S. director of national intelligence, James Clapper, said in a statement on October 11 that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court had given its approval.
Clapper said the disclosure is part of the Obama administration's effort to better explain how U.S. intelligence agencies use data obtained from sources in the United States.
Leaks this spring by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden revealed that U.S. agencies collect millions of pieces of data showing who Americans called and for how long.
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Some critics have called such surveillance an invasion of privacy and of questionable use against terrorists.