Get All Access for $5/mo

Judge Says NSA Phone Surveillance Is Constitutional Just 11 days after a federal judge in Washington said the NSA's phone-data collection program is 'almost certainly' unconstitutional, a federal judge in New York said the program is legal.

By Lauren Covello

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

associationsnow.com

A federal judge in New York has ruled that the National Security Agency's mass collection of phone data is constitutional, rejecting a challenge brought by the American Civil Liberties Union.

U.S. District Judge William Pauley's decision came just 11 days after a district judge in Washington ruled the opposite - that the agency's "almost Orwellian" surveillance program is likely unconstitutional. The ruling raises the likelihood that the issue will be settled by the Supreme Court.

In his 54-page decision, Pauley said there is no evidence that the government has used any of the data collected for purposes other than "investigating and disrupting" terror attacks.

"Technology allowed al-Qaida to operate decentralized and plot international terrorist attacks remotely. The bulk telephony metadata collection program represents the government's counter-punch: connecting fragmented and fleeting communications to re-construct and eliminate al-Qaida's terror network," he wrote.

The judge granted the government's motion to dismiss the case and denied the ACLU's motion for a preliminary injunction.

The ACLU is reportedly planning to appeal the decision, saying the ruling is "extremely disappointing" and downplays the surveillance program's privacy implications.

Related: Marissa Mayer, Tim Cook & Other Tech Titans Meet With Obama on Health Care, Surveillance

Lauren Covello

Former Managing Editor

Lauren Covello is the former managing editor of Entrepreneur.com.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Side Hustle

This 20-Year-Old Student Started a Side Hustle With $400 — and It Earned $150,000 Over the Summer

Jacob Shaidle launched his barbecue cleaning business Shaidle Cleaning in 2021 when he was just 15.

Making a Change

Learn a New Language with This Fresh Approach

Read and listen side by side.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Growing a Business

The Top 5 AI Tools That Can Revolutionize Your Workflow and Boost Productivity

Discover the top 5 AI tools for marketing and content creation that every marketer needs to know.

Starting a Business

This Ex-CIA Officer's Near-Death Experience Inspired Her to Start a Business That's Earning Over 8 Figures a Year: 'I Have a Higher Risk Tolerance Than Most'

Emily Hikade, founder and CEO of luxury sleepwear and home company Petite Plume, had an unconventional path to entrepreneurship.