The Supreme Court rejected a challenge launched by privacy advocates against the National Security Agency’s phone spying program, The New York Times reports.
The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), a public interest research center, filed a challenge with the Supreme Court in July arguing that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) exceeded its jurisdiction by authorizing the NSA’s bulk phone-records collection program.
The formerly clandestine program was thrust into the spotlight in June by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden’s disclosure to The Guardian regarding a secret court order reauthorizing the agency’s collection of U.S. phone records of Verizon Business Network Services.
On Monday, the Supreme Court rejected EPIC’s petition without giving a reason, reports The New York Times.
“The justices gave no reason for rejecting the group’s petition, but the unusual procedure of bypassing the lower courts probably played a role. Other, more conventional challenges to government surveillance programs are pending,” writes the publication.
On Oct. 11, the FISC reauthorized the NSA program for another 90 days.