FBI Confirms Buying Data That Could Be Used to Track Americans

Corin Cesaric-Epple is a Flex Editor at CNET. She received her bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Before joining CNET, she covered crime at People Magazine and national and international news at NBC Local Television Stations.

FBI Director Kash Patel admitted under oath at a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Wednesday that the agency purchases data, which can be used to track Americans. 

The acknowledgement came after a question from Sen. Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon. Wyden noted that in 2023, former FBI Director Christopher Wray testified that, to his knowledge, the FBI did not purchase commercial data that included location information from internet advertising at that time. 

"Is that the case still, and if so, can you commit this morning to not buying Americans' location data ...