stly, explicit in the constitution is our imperative right to privacy. The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees that “the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated” (US Const. amend. IV, sec.
1). A federal judge, Richard J. Leon, asserts that “the NSA’s secret phone-snooping program violates Americans’ privacy rights,” in a ruling.
His point of view and decision marked the first time a court had ruled against this program on collecting cell phone records. This put him in conflict with the secret court that had approved the collection of cell phone records on many phone calls made in the U.S.
But Judge Leon said that James Madison, chief architect of the Bill of Rights, would be “aghast” at this collection of cell phone records by the government. He stated “I cannot imagine a more ‘indiscriminate’ and ‘arbitrary invasion’ than this systematic and high-tech collection and retention of personal data on virtually every single citizen,” in a 68-page opinion. He continues, “Surely, such a program infringes on ‘that degree of privacy’ that the Founders enshrined in the Fourth Amendment.” The fourth amendment’s purpose is to protect us and entitles us to our privacy. The government’s access to Adnan’s call records in “Serial” was the deciding reason that he was ruled guilty for the murder of Hae Min Lee. But, these records may also be the reason he may be wrongfully imprisoned for a crime he did not commit and was an invasion of his privacy. Our phones shouldn’t be searched or be put under surveillance without warrants similar to those of house searches.
Like Judge Leon pointed out, this operation violated the degree of privacy the Founders had put into place. The fourth amendment states that unreasonable searches shall not be conducted and surveillance over phones violates this assertion and as “the people” security is our birthright.