Final answer:
The Patriot Act required the telecommunications industry to build surveillance tools into its products for federal investigators to eavesdrop on conversations and intercept electronic communications.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Patriot Act required the telecommunications industry to build tools into its products that federal investigators could use to eavesdrop on conversations and intercept electronic communications. The act, officially known as the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, expanded the powers of the federal government to legally use surveillance against individuals suspected of involvement in international or domestic terrorism.
For example, the act allowed authorities to collect phone location data without a warrant, which was later ruled to be unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in Carpenter v. United States (2018). Critics of the Patriot Act argue that it infringes upon individuals' privacy rights and can be used to target ordinary criminals rather than terrorists.
In summary, the Patriot Act mandated the inclusion of surveillance tools in telecommunications products to aid federal investigators in monitoring conversations and intercepting electronic communications.