FBI Resumes Warrantless Purchases of Americans' Location Data from Brokers
Here's what it means for you.
Your location data is now more accessible to federal authorities, raising privacy concerns that could impact your professional life.
What happened
On March 18, 2026, FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that the FBI has resumed purchasing Americans' location data from data brokers without warrants.
The Context
- Legal Backdrop: The 2018 Supreme Court ruling in Carpenter v. United States mandates warrants for cell-site location information from carriers, but data from brokers remains unregulated.
- Previous Assurances: Former FBI Director Christopher Wray had previously stated that the agency would cease such purchases following a limited pilot project.
- Bipartisan Pushback: Senator Ron Wyden and others are advocating for the Government Surveillance Reform Act to prohibit these warrantless purchases.
The Number
— This figure represents the total fines levied by the FCC in 2024 against major carriers for selling customers' real-time location data, highlighting the commercial scale that enables such acquisitions.
Takeaway
With ongoing legislative efforts to reform surveillance practices, the landscape of data privacy is poised for significant changes.
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