Final answer:
The criticism of the USA Patriot Act when it was first enacted was that it allowed the government to gather intelligence on private citizens, infringing upon privacy rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
When the USA Patriot Act was first enacted, one of the criticisms was that it went too far in allowing the government to gather intelligence on private citizens. Critics argued that it infringed upon individuals' privacy rights and violated the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures. They raised concerns about the broad surveillance powers granted to government agencies, such as the National Security Agency (NSA), which could collect and monitor communications without sufficient checks and balances.
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