![Surveillance cameras are pointing in different directions. [Shutterstock - Ink Drop]](https://images.dailycaller.com/image/width=960,height=411,fit=cover,f=auto/https://cdn01.dailycaller.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/SurveillanceCamerasTechnologySpying-e1525539622260.jpg "Surveillance cameras are pointing in different directions. [Shutterstock - Ink Drop]")
The National Security Agency (NSA) tripled its collection of Americans’ phone call and text message records in 2017, according to U.S. intelligence agency report published Friday.
The federal surveillance agency gathered 534 million records in 2017, a 151 million increase from 2016.
The government “has not altered the manner in which it uses its authority to obtain call detail records,” Timothy Barrett, a spokesman at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, told Reuters. “We expect this number to fluctuate from year to year.”
Americans weren’t the only ones looked upon on by U.S. authorities. Under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which was renewed earlier in the year, investigators spied on 129,080 non-U.S. citizens living abroad, an uptick of 22,611. Over a five-year span, the surveillance of foreigners rose roughly 45 percent. (RELATED: The Battle Over The Government’s Massive Surveillance Powers Has Arrived)
Send tips to eric@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
