There is no doubt that the mass shooting in Orlando was horrific, tragic and extremely disturbing on numerous levels. The human suffering and anguish will haunt the world forever. But now, weeks after the worst mass shooting in US history, discussions about how to prevent such a crime in the future are coming to the fore.
The Washington Post recently reported on a bill that would have allowed the FBI to conduct web searches without a court order. This might allow the FBI access to citizens’ web searches including their browser history, email accounts and other electronic communications with no court oversight. Might this allow law enforcement authorities the ability to stop crime before it happens? Perhaps. But what is the long-term impact of allowing this type of surveillance? This will be an ongoing debate. For now, the Senate rejected the bill. The FBI states that gaining this type of access is their number one priority so the debate may be a fierce one.