FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed before the Senate Intelligence Committee on March 18, 2026 that the bureau purchases commercially available location data to track people's movements, no warrant required.
Patel cited the Electronic Communications Privacy Act as legal cover, claiming the purchases are constitutional and have produced 'valuable intelligence.' He refused to commit to stopping the practice when senators pressed him directly. That refusal is the story.
The full piece at The Verge digs into the specific exchange with senators, including who pushed back and how far Patel was willing to go on the record. If you care about warrantless surveillance, the legal framing Patel used is worth reading closely.
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