Abstract
With the developments and the recent attacks on the internet, there has been a need to ensure that cyber attacks and terrorism have been the most common concerns for government regulations. After the numerous attacks and cyber attacks that are common on the internet, there has been the need to have laws and acts to control these terrorist acts. This is the reason why the USA patriot Act was formulated. The main intention was to ensure that terrorism was fought in the US and the rest of the world. This aspect allowed and gave the law the power and freedom to investigate the activities that are undertaken on the internet. This will be a way of protecting citizens and internet users from attacks that are bound to take place online. The act, therefore, allowed the people undertaking the investigations to use tools in the process of investigations for activities which are considered to be suspect. The tools that have been allowed by this law to be employed and utilized in the fight of terrorisms and organized crime have been in existence from time immemorial. This paper will look at the USA Patriot Acts that were enacted to counter terrorism after the September 11 2001 attacks.
Introduction of USA Patriot Act
After the attacks which happened in the United States, the Congress agreed in one voice to have laws that would counter terrorism. This was undertaken in the quest to have safe America and security of the citizens of America. The main intention was to ensure that terrorism was fought in the United States and indeed, the whole world. This aspect allowed and gave the law the power and freedom to investigate the activities that are undertaken on the internet. This will be a way of protecting citizens and internet users from attacks that are bound to take place online. The act, therefore, allowed the people undertaking the investigations to use tools in the process of investigations for activities which are considered to be suspect. The tools that have been allowed by the act to be used in the fight of terrorisms and organized crime have been in existence from time immemorial. This law was enforced after the attacks of September 11 2011 so that it could act as a counterterrorism. The law was given the required attention and it was eventually passed to law by President Bush in the year 2001. The Patriot Act gives the domestic law agencies the powers to search for leading information regarding terrorism. This law eliminates the previous protections that had been set that would protect invasion of personal protection. The Patriot Act has enabled counter terrorism and has been amended severally to ensure curb the developments of terrorism. With the developments and the enhancement of online cyber crimes, there has been the need to protect citizens from terrorism and attacks. This is the reason and the place where USA patriot act came into being.
Surveillance and Privacy Acts and laws
The Patriot Act, under surveillance act was one of the laws that were enacted in the United States that enabled the government to spy on innocent Americans in their normal activities. They allow the government to expand on their spying activities and track mobile communication for their citizens. The Surveillance act also allows the government to track the banking activities for the citizens. Tracking takes place every time people visit a site. The reason is that the sites are interconnected so that one site will provide information to another site. The sites that are interconnected grow exponentially. The problem is that the trackers undertake tracking without getting permission from the internet user permission. Tracking takes place without the knowledge of the users. This is wrong and unlawful. The author has some reservations about tracking. The concern here is on the times that people are being tracked. Tracking has its benefits. It makes surfing easier and also helps in remembering very important sites that the user obtained important information.
Behavioral tracking is tracking behaviors about an individual. This information will be used to find out some facts about that individual. Online behavioral tracking is getting information about what someone is browsing and what sites they visit. Behavioral tracking is the process of getting what sites are popular to an individual. This information will be used without the knowledge of that information. All these acts were brought into existence after the September 2001 11 attack (Britz, 2009). The privacy of individual personal information is very significant and any exposure of this information to unauthorized people is a breach of personal security right. The method through which such information can spread through the internet is the major cause of such security treats and needs to be addressed adequately.
The Patriot Act helps to ensure the privacy of personal and private information and should not be altered. The first step that was taken was creating awareness such that people can know how information that is personal gets into the hands of unauthorized people. Most people always presume that the establishment of personal information security is the responsibility of data and network security specialist. This is a wrong perception because the personal information that an individual gives out willingly can contribute to privacy intrusion. People may think that the security mechanism that is put in place is not strong enough but in the real sense, it is the individuals who give out information without putting into consideration the effect of this act if somebody uses such information to monitor you. For personal information security to be more comprehensive, the information that each and every individual gives should be put into consideration. In addition, people should consider the things that need to be given security.
Enhanced Domestic Security against Terrorism
This is Title I of the USA Patriot Act. There are six sections of this title. The first section, section 101 is referred to as the counterterrorism fund which entails the availability of counterterrorism fund which will be available for all departments. This fund is not limited by fiscal year budgetary period allocations. It is meant to reimburse any department which has been destroyed due to international or local terrorism. The fund will also be used to investigate what has happened and know the incident further. This way, the department will not use their funds while undertaking the investigations or prosecution of the incident. The section will also undertake the assessment of the federal agencies and the facilities that belong to them about their statuses of the terrorism (Carr, 2009).
In section 102, the attitude towards Muslim Americans, Arab Americans and the American citizens who come from South Asia should be mutual. There were recorded incidences of violence towards these citizens. There was a need to have amendment laws that would protect these citizens. The law installed and implemented punitive measures for the perpetrators of these crimes. This way, the target Americans would be free to undergo with their duties without any fear that they will be attacked (Soloman, Broom, & Barrett, 2004).
There is also section 103 which is tasked with funding the technical support center that is located at the federal bureau of investigation. This is meant to help them to combat with terrorism. There is also section 104 which is the right to request for military assistance so that they will help in the prohibition of some defined activities in some given circumstances. Section 105 enables and gives way to the expansion of the national electronic tasks force initiative that would be handy in the undertaking of investigations for the increasing electronic crimes. The last section is 106 which enable the president to act the good favor of the country in circumstances where there are some looming threats that have been seen to the safety of the country. In such situations, the president has the right to liquidate or hold some property that is considered to be for the enemy country (Kowalski, Sammy, & Agatson, 2008).
Protecting the Border
In this title, it was deemed appropriate and necessary authorizations were allowed so that the number of US Border Patrol would be tripled. Other personnel that would be tripled include Custom Service, and Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) who were posted at the US/Canada Border. There were legislations which were formed to be part of the Department of Homeland Security. These are the INS, Customs and Border Patrol. Under this title, there Secretary of State has the authority to designate domestic terrorist organizations. Under this title, a terrorist organization is regarded to be any organization that has ever used dangerous weapons to undertake enormous damages. The law has also been defined to ensure that the non-US persons in the terrorist group are not allowed to participate in the group. There is also section 416 which is the monitoring program that is undertaken by the government by assistance from schools. This law requires that schools give information regarding international students so that they can be investigated. There is also Section IV which is equally controversial. Under this, it allows the detention of people who are suspected of terrorism for seven days (Aust, 2007).
Removing Obstacles to Investigating Terrorism
This is under Title V of the Patriots act. There is section 501 of this act which allows the attorney general to pay rewards in the duty to counter terrorism. The attorney general is given the mandate to undertake this. Funds are availed to the Attorney General’s office that will be used to call for assistance in exchange of assistance for information regarding terrorists. There are conditions which have been set to control this. One condition is that the funds will need the approval of the President or Attorney General if it exceeds $250, 000.
Strengthening Criminal Laws against Terrorism
This is Title VIII. This is the act that defines the punitive measures for terrorists who are found to be guilt of destroying mass transportation systems. There are various sub-sections. This is the law that protects the systems that are used for mass transportations. The persons who are found to have acted or participated in this act will be punished.
Conclusion
With the enhancement of cybercrime and terrorism, there have been many numerous laws and acts which have been created so that they are used to protect US citizens against attacks from terrorists. This is the role that the USA Patriot Act has been enacted to undertake. It has been undergoing a lot of amendments to enable it to counter the most recent and modern attacks on the internet. Terrorists have now shifted to online platforms and are the reason why the Patriot Act was enacted. The main intention was to ensure that terrorism was fought in the United States and indeed, the whole world. This aspect allowed and gave the law the power and freedom to investigate the activities that are undertaken on the internet. This will be a way of protecting citizens and internet users from attacks that are bound to take place online. The act, therefore, allowed the people undertaking the investigations to use tools in the process of investigations for activities which are considered to be suspect. The tools that have been allowed by the act to be used in the fight of terrorisms and organized crime have been in existence from time immemorial. This has been seen to help the developments and countering of the terrorists. The Patriot Act has enabled counter terrorism and has been amended severally to ensure curb the developments of terrorism. With the developments and the enhancement of online cyber crimes, there has been the need to protect citizens from terrorism and attacks. This is the reason and the place where USA patriot act came into being.
References
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