55.9k views
1 vote
why has the wording of the usa patriot act been revised since its creation? there were historical conflations that left out important subtleties in the differences between international migrants and potential terrorists. some of the wording was vague and gave the government what some considered unconstitutional abilities to survey and detain people. many points in the act about the use of weapons and the hidden communication of terrorists in the united states were found to be incorrect. thousands of people complained that they were unable to travel safely and efficiently because the act was causing mass confusion.

User Andyrooger
by
6.2k points

2 Answers

4 votes

Final answer:

The USA PATRIOT Act was revised due to concerns over vague language that allowed for potentially unconstitutional surveillance and detainment, as well as conflating migrants with terrorists. It stemmed from debates on national security versus individual freedoms, reflected in court decisions like Carpenter v. United States.

Step-by-step explanation:

The USA PATRIOT Act has been revised since its creation to address concerns over vague language and potential constitutional infringements. Initially passed in response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the Patriot Act expanded government powers to enhance domestic security. However, this came at the cost of what some believed to be unwarranted intrusions on privacy and civil liberties, leading to surveillance and detainment practices that were seen as crossing constitutional boundaries.

Critics argued that the measures largely targeted ordinary criminals rather than terrorists and conflated migrants with potential terrorism threats. Debates focused on the tradeoff between national security and individual freedoms, questioning the proportionality and justification of such broad powers. Notably, court decisions like Carpenter v. United States indicated the necessity for warrants in collecting phone location data, reflecting concerns over privacy in an increasingly digital world. Revisions to the Patriot Act aimed to rectify these issues and ensure better balance between security efforts and respect for constitutional rights.

User Crabbly
by
6.9k points
4 votes
The USA Patriot Act, also known as the " Uniting and Strengthening America Act " is the American policy that has its main purpose to combat and prevent the acts of terrorism. However, the act has been revised as of the recent date because "many points in the act about the use of weapons and the hidden communication of terrorists in the united states were found to be incorrect."
User MaNDOOoo
by
6.6k points