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New FBI Operations Manual Increases Surveillance

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the because-they-can dept.

betterunixthanunix writes "The New York Times is reporting that the new FBI operations manual suggests a broad increase in surveillance. Denoted the Domestic Investigations and Operations Guide, the manual officially lowers the bar of acceptability when it comes to engaging in surveillance activities, including allowing agents to perform such surveillance on people who are not suspected terrorists without opening an inquiry or officially recording their actions. The new manual also relaxes rules on administering lie detector tests, searching through a person's trash, and the use of teams to follow targeted individuals. It should be noted that these guidelines still fall within the general limits put in place by the attorney general."

5 of 189 comments (clear)

  1. Ugh, polygraphs by TheSpoom · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Why is the federal government so in love with polygraph machines given the scientific community's near-complete dismissal of polygraphs as valid?

    (The cynical side of me says it's because they give superiors and judges a reason to pass their opinion as judgement on someone without any real evidence...)

    --
    It's better to vote for what you want and not get it than to vote for what you don't want and get it.
    - E. Debs
    1. Re:Ugh, polygraphs by blair1q · · Score: 3, Interesting

      It's because perps, except the true psychopaths, are scared shitless of them. Using them doesn't produce actionable evidence, but it weeds out the guilty who know they're guilty and don't feel they can beat a polygraph. Saves a lot of rubber-hose time that way.

    2. Re:Ugh, polygraphs by MightyMartian · · Score: 3, Interesting

      They love it because of the placebo effect. If the perp thinks that the voodoo magic polygraph machine can actually tell if they're lying, it has some effect on investigations I suppose.

      --
      The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
  2. No "firm reason" required! by Thruen · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I like this line at the very end:

    But she rejected arguments that the F.B.I. should focus only on investigations that begin with a firm reason for suspecting wrongdoing.

    Is anyone else somewhat appalled that they don't need a "firm reason for suspecting wrongdoing" to waste time and money on an investigation? Add that to everything about this manual, and it kind of seems like the FBI is wasting enormous amounts of taxpayer money running around looking into random BS instead of focusing on serious issues. Even if we forget about the trampling of rights of innocent people here, and forget about them spending our money helping the MPAA/RIAA sue people, the mere fact that they are willing to investigate without a firm reason is bothersome from a "you-work-for-me-and-you're-wasting-time" perspective.

  3. Re:Personal accountability? by Jah-Wren+Ryel · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Yeah, I'd love to see that sourced too!

    https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/26/business/26nocera.html

    He also told the grand jurors that sometimes, when he sees somebody driving a Ferrari, he'll check to see if they make enough money to afford it. When I called Mr. Nordlander and others at the I.R.S. to ask whether this was an appropriate way to choose subjects for criminal tax investigations, my questions were met with a stone wall of silence.

    --
    When information is power, privacy is freedom.