“Federal Bureau of Investigation has acknowledged for the first time that it purchased US location data rather than obtaining a warrant.”
Carpenter required a warrant for historical location data nearly five years ago. The FBI bought it instead, and Christopher Wray only admitted it because Ron Wyden asked him under oath. Wray says the purchases stopped but won’t say why, and his answer covered only data “derived from internet advertising.” The ADPPA exempts every law enforcement agency and its contractors. Congress wrote the loophole into its own privacy bill.