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timeline
timeline
1908 — FBI Founded
1908 — FBI Founded
Rhodri Jeffreys-Jones, The FBI: A History. Yale University Press, 2007.
Rhodri Jeffreys-Jones, The FBI: A History. Yale University Press, 2007.
1956 — COINTELPRO
1956 — COINTELPRO
Church Committee Final Report (Primary Government Document)
https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/sites/default/files/94755_II.pdf
Church Committee Final Report (Primary Government Document)
https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/sites/default/files/94755_II.pdf
2001 — PATRIOT Act
2001 — PATRIOT Act
USA PATRIOT Act — Primary Federal Legislation
https://www.congress.gov/bill/107th-congress/house-bill/3162
USA PATRIOT Act — Primary Federal Legislation
https://www.congress.gov/bill/107th-congress/house-bill/3162
2013 — Snowden / PRISM
2013 — Snowden / PRISM
Greenwald & MacAskill — The Guardian: NSA PRISM Revealed (2013)
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/06/us-tech-giants-nsa-data
Greenwald & MacAskill — The Guardian: NSA PRISM Revealed (2013)
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/06/us-tech-giants-nsa-data
2015 — DHS Monitors BLM
2015 — DHS Monitors BLM
Brennan Center — DC Law Enforcement Surveillance FOIA Records
Brennan Center — DC Law Enforcement Surveillance FOIA Records
2018 — Cambridge Analytica
2018 — Cambridge Analytica
The Guardian — Cambridge Analytica and Facebook: The Story So Far
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/mar/17/cambridge-analytica-facebook-influence-us-election
The Guardian — Cambridge Analytica and Facebook: The Story So Far
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/mar/17/cambridge-analytica-facebook-influence-us-election
Bipartisan Policy Center — History of the Cambridge Analytica Controversy
https://bipartisanpolicy.org/article/cambridge-analytica-controversy/
Bipartisan Policy Center — History of the Cambridge Analytica Controversy
https://bipartisanpolicy.org/article/cambridge-analytica-controversy/
2020 — Aerial Surveillance / Protest Files
2020 — Aerial Surveillance / Protest Files
Brennan Center — Federal Agencies Monitoring Racial Justice Protests
Brennan Center — Federal Agencies Monitoring Racial Justice Protests
2025 — AI Automates Surveillance
2025 — AI Automates Surveillance
American Immigration Council — ImmigrationOS Documentation
https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/blog/ice-immigrationos-palantir-ai-track-immigrants/
American Immigration Council — ImmigrationOS Documentation
https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/blog/ice-immigrationos-palantir-ai-track-immigrants/
EFF — ICE Going on a Surveillance Shopping Spree
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/01/ice-going-surveillance-shopping-spree
EFF — ICE Going on a Surveillance Shopping Spree
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/01/ice-going-surveillance-shopping-spree
data inputs
data inputs
License Plates
License Plates
Illinois Secretary of State Audit — Flock in Violation of State Law
Illinois Secretary of State Audit — Flock in Violation of State Law
Ventura County Sheriff Audit — CBS Los Angeles
Ventura County Sheriff Audit — CBS Los Angeles
Search History
Search History
Penney, J. (2016) — Berkeley Technology Law Journal
https://btlj.org/data/articles2016/vol31/31_1/0117_0182_Penney_ChillingEffects_WEB.pdf
Penney, J. (2016) — Berkeley Technology Law Journal
https://btlj.org/data/articles2016/vol31/31_1/0117_0182_Penney_ChillingEffects_WEB.pdf
Social Media
Social Media
Brennan Center — DC Law Enforcement Surveillance FOIA Records
Brennan Center — DC Law Enforcement Surveillance FOIA Records
The Intercept — FBI BLM Surveillance FOIA Documents
https://theintercept.com/2018/03/19/black-lives-matter-fbi-surveillance/
The Intercept — FBI BLM Surveillance FOIA Documents
https://theintercept.com/2018/03/19/black-lives-matter-fbi-surveillance/
Purchases
Purchases
ACLU — DHS Circumventing Constitution By Buying Data
ACLU — DHS Circumventing Constitution By Buying Data
Brennan Center — Federal Agencies Secretly Buying Consumer Data
Brennan Center — Federal Agencies Secretly Buying Consumer Data
Phone Location
Phone Location
FBI Confirmation Letter to Sen. Wyden — WebProNews
FBI Confirmation Letter to Sen. Wyden — WebProNews
ACLU — New Records Detail DHS Location Data Purchases
ACLU — New Records Detail DHS Location Data Purchases
FedScoop — DHS IG Report on Warrantless Purchases
https://develop.fedscoop.com/dhs-ice-data-sharing-gathering-warrantless-purchase/
FedScoop — DHS IG Report on Warrantless Purchases
https://develop.fedscoop.com/dhs-ice-data-sharing-gathering-warrantless-purchase/
Biometrics
Biometrics
Hill, K. (2020) — NYT: The Secretive Company That Might End Privacy
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/18/technology/clearview-privacy-facial-recognition.html
Hill, K. (2020) — NYT: The Secretive Company That Might End Privacy
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/18/technology/clearview-privacy-facial-recognition.html
BuzzFeed News — Clearview Used by FBI, ICE, DOJ
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryanmac/clearview-ai-fbi-ice-global-law-enforcement
BuzzFeed News — Clearview Used by FBI, ICE, DOJ
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryanmac/clearview-ai-fbi-ice-global-law-enforcement
Protest Activity
Protest Activity
Grist — FBI Informants at Standing Rock
https://grist.org/indigenous/fbi-informant-standing-rock-protest-court-documents-surveillance/
Grist — FBI Informants at Standing Rock
https://grist.org/indigenous/fbi-informant-standing-rock-protest-court-documents-surveillance/
The Intercept — TigerSwan Standing Rock Documents (Leaked)
The Intercept — TigerSwan Standing Rock Documents (Leaked)
Brennan Center — FBI Targets New Generation of Black Activists
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/fbi-targets-new-generation-black-activists
Brennan Center — FBI Targets New Generation of Black Activists
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/fbi-targets-new-generation-black-activists
Communications
Communications
Greenwald & MacAskill — The Guardian: NSA PRISM
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/06/us-tech-giants-nsa-data
Greenwald & MacAskill — The Guardian: NSA PRISM
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/06/us-tech-giants-nsa-data
USA PATRIOT Act (Primary Federal Legislation)
https://www.congress.gov/bill/107th-congress/house-bill/3162
USA PATRIOT Act (Primary Federal Legislation)
https://www.congress.gov/bill/107th-congress/house-bill/3162
Smart Home
Smart Home
Motherboard — Ring FOIA Contracts with Police
Motherboard — Ring FOIA Contracts with Police
EFF — Five Concerns About Amazon Ring's Deals with Police
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/08/five-concerns-about-amazon-rings-deals-police
EFF — Five Concerns About Amazon Ring's Deals with Police
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/08/five-concerns-about-amazon-rings-deals-police
WBUR — Ring Police Partnerships: 2,600 Departments
https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2025/09/30/ring-police-partnerships
WBUR — Ring Police Partnerships: 2,600 Departments
https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2025/09/30/ring-police-partnerships
DNA Databases
DNA Databases
House Oversight Committee Hearing Announcement
House Oversight Committee Hearing Announcement
NPR — 23andMe Bankruptcy and Genetic Data Privacy
https://www.npr.org/2025/03/24/nx-s1-5338622/23andme-bankruptcy-genetic-data-privacy
NPR — 23andMe Bankruptcy and Genetic Data Privacy
https://www.npr.org/2025/03/24/nx-s1-5338622/23andme-bankruptcy-genetic-data-privacy
Harvard Kennedy School — 23andMe Bankruptcy and Federal Law Gaps
Harvard Kennedy School — 23andMe Bankruptcy and Federal Law Gaps
Airport Screening
Airport Screening
PCLOB Report on TSA Facial Recognition (May 2025)
https://documents.pclob.gov/prod/Documents/OversightReport/90964138-44eb-483d-990e-057ce4c31db7/Use%20of%20FRT%20by%20TSA,%20PCLOB%20Report%20(5-12-25),%20Completed%20508,%20May%2019,%202025.pdf
PCLOB Report on TSA Facial Recognition (May 2025)
https://documents.pclob.gov/prod/Documents/OversightReport/90964138-44eb-483d-990e-057ce4c31db7/Use%20of%20FRT%20by%20TSA,%20PCLOB%20Report%20(5-12-25),%20Completed%20508,%20May%2019,%202025.pdf
GAO Report to Congress on CBP and TSA Facial Recognition
GAO Report to Congress on CBP and TSA Facial Recognition
CBP Congressional Testimony on Facial Recognition
CBP Congressional Testimony on Facial Recognition
Loyalty Cards
Loyalty Cards
California AG CCPA Loyalty Program Enforcement
California AG CCPA Loyalty Program Enforcement
The Street — How Grocery Loyalty Data Is Monetized
The Street — How Grocery Loyalty Data Is Monetized
Employer Data
Employer Data
CFPB — Worker Surveillance Poses Potential Privacy Harms
https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/worker-surveillance-poses-potential-privacy-harms/
CFPB — Worker Surveillance Poses Potential Privacy Harms
https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/worker-surveillance-poses-potential-privacy-harms/
CFPB Circular 2024-06 — Background Dossiers and Algorithmic Scores
CFPB Circular 2024-06 — Background Dossiers and Algorithmic Scores
Court Records
Court Records
The Intercept — LexisNexis $16.8M ICE Contract
https://theintercept.com/2021/04/02/ice-database-surveillance-lexisnexis/
The Intercept — LexisNexis $16.8M ICE Contract
https://theintercept.com/2021/04/02/ice-database-surveillance-lexisnexis/
EPIC — Coalition Letter on LexisNexis ICE Contract
EPIC — Coalition Letter on LexisNexis ICE Contract
Utility Records
Utility Records
Georgetown Law Center on Privacy & Technology — Utility Records and ICE
Georgetown Law Center on Privacy & Technology — Utility Records and ICE
Washington Post — Equifax Ends Utility Data Sales to ICE
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/12/08/utility-data-government-tracking/
Washington Post — Equifax Ends Utility Data Sales to ICE
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/12/08/utility-data-government-tracking/
EFF — Utility Databases Shared with ICE
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/07/data-brokers-are-selling-your-flight-information-cbp-and-ice
EFF — Utility Databases Shared with ICE
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/07/data-brokers-are-selling-your-flight-information-cbp-and-ice
private companies
private companies
Palantir
Palantir
USASpending.gov — ImmigrationOS Contract
https://www.usaspending.gov/award/CONT_AWD_70CTD022FR0000170_7012_GS35F0086U_4730
USASpending.gov — ImmigrationOS Contract
https://www.usaspending.gov/award/CONT_AWD_70CTD022FR0000170_7012_GS35F0086U_4730
American Immigration Council — ImmigrationOS Documentation
American Immigration Council — ImmigrationOS Documentation
CorpWatch — Palantir Contract History
CorpWatch — Palantir Contract History
Flock Safety
Flock Safety
Illinois Secretary of State Audit
Illinois Secretary of State Audit
Clearview AI
Clearview AI
BuzzFeed News — Leaked Client List
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryanmac/clearview-ai-fbi-ice-global-law-enforcement
BuzzFeed News — Leaked Client List
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryanmac/clearview-ai-fbi-ice-global-law-enforcement
ICE $9.2M Contract — Biometric Update
https://www.biometricupdate.com/202509/ice-awards-clearview-ai-9-2m-facial-recognition-contract
ICE $9.2M Contract — Biometric Update
https://www.biometricupdate.com/202509/ice-awards-clearview-ai-9-2m-facial-recognition-contract
Immigration Policy Tracking — ICE Clearview Contract Documentation
Immigration Policy Tracking — ICE Clearview Contract Documentation
Meta
Meta
Brennan Center — Federal Agencies Monitoring Social Media
Brennan Center — Federal Agencies Monitoring Social Media
ACLU — DHS Buying Data Without Warrants
ACLU — DHS Buying Data Without Warrants
EFF Amicus Brief — US v. Chatrie
https://www.eff.org/files/2020/07/02/chatrie-google-amicus.pdf
EFF Amicus Brief — US v. Chatrie
https://www.eff.org/files/2020/07/02/chatrie-google-amicus.pdf
Fifth Circuit Court Opinion — Geofence Warrants
https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/23/23-60321-CR0.pdf
Fifth Circuit Court Opinion — Geofence Warrants
https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/23/23-60321-CR0.pdf
Amazon
Amazon
Motherboard — Ring FOIA Contracts
Motherboard — Ring FOIA Contracts
EFF — Amazon Ring Must End Dangerous Partnerships with Police
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/06/amazon-ring-must-end-its-dangerous-partnerships-police
EFF — Amazon Ring Must End Dangerous Partnerships with Police
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/06/amazon-ring-must-end-its-dangerous-partnerships-police
LexisNexis
LexisNexis
The Intercept — LexisNexis $16.8M ICE Contract
https://theintercept.com/2021/04/02/ice-database-surveillance-lexisnexis/
The Intercept — LexisNexis $16.8M ICE Contract
https://theintercept.com/2021/04/02/ice-database-surveillance-lexisnexis/
The Intercept — LexisNexis Predictive Crime Tools for ICE
https://theintercept.com/2023/06/20/lexisnexis-ice-surveillance-license-plates/
The Intercept — LexisNexis Predictive Crime Tools for ICE
https://theintercept.com/2023/06/20/lexisnexis-ice-surveillance-license-plates/
ACLU — Tech Companies Alliance with ICE and CBP
ACLU — Tech Companies Alliance with ICE and CBP
government agencies
government agencies
ICE — Immigration & Customs Enforcement
ICE — Immigration & Customs Enforcement
USASpending.gov — Palantir ImmigrationOS Contract
https://www.usaspending.gov/award/CONT_AWD_70CTD022FR0000170_7012_GS35F0086U_4730
USASpending.gov — Palantir ImmigrationOS Contract
https://www.usaspending.gov/award/CONT_AWD_70CTD022FR0000170_7012_GS35F0086U_4730
American Immigration Council — ImmigrationOS Documentation
https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/blog/ice-immigrationos-palantir-ai-track-immigrants/
American Immigration Council — ImmigrationOS Documentation
https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/blog/ice-immigrationos-palantir-ai-track-immigrants/
EFF — ICE Going on a Surveillance Shopping Spree
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/01/ice-going-surveillance-shopping-spree
EFF — ICE Going on a Surveillance Shopping Spree
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/01/ice-going-surveillance-shopping-spree
FBI — Federal Bureau of Investigation
FBI — Federal Bureau of Investigation
Church Committee Final Report
https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/sites/default/files/94755_II.pdf
Church Committee Final Report
https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/sites/default/files/94755_II.pdf
The Intercept — FBI BLM Surveillance FOIA Documents
https://theintercept.com/2018/03/19/black-lives-matter-fbi-surveillance/
The Intercept — FBI BLM Surveillance FOIA Documents
https://theintercept.com/2018/03/19/black-lives-matter-fbi-surveillance/
Grist — FBI Informants at Standing Rock
https://grist.org/indigenous/fbi-informant-standing-rock-protest-court-documents-surveillance/
Grist — FBI Informants at Standing Rock
https://grist.org/indigenous/fbi-informant-standing-rock-protest-court-documents-surveillance/
DHS — Department of Homeland Security
DHS — Department of Homeland Security
Brennan Center — 700,000+ Pages FOIA
Brennan Center — 700,000+ Pages FOIA
ACLU — DHS Buying Data Without Warrants
ACLU — DHS Buying Data Without Warrants
DHS 2024 Facial Recognition Report
DHS 2024 Facial Recognition Report
NSA — National Security Agency
NSA — National Security Agency
The Guardian — NSA PRISM
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/06/us-tech-giants-nsa-data
The Guardian — NSA PRISM
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/06/us-tech-giants-nsa-data
CBP — Customs & Border Protection
CBP — Customs & Border Protection
CBP Congressional Testimony on Facial Recognition
CBP Congressional Testimony on Facial Recognition
Woodburn, OR — CBP Accessed Flock Data Without City's Knowledge
Woodburn, OR — CBP Accessed Flock Data Without City's Knowledge
DEA — Drug Enforcement Administration
DEA — Drug Enforcement Administration
EFF — How the Federal Government Buys Our Cell Phone Location Data
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2022/06/how-federal-government-buys-our-cell-phone-location-data
EFF — How the Federal Government Buys Our Cell Phone Location Data
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2022/06/how-federal-government-buys-our-cell-phone-location-data
Brennan Center — Federal Agencies Secretly Buying Consumer Data
Brennan Center — Federal Agencies Secretly Buying Consumer Data
Local Police
Local Police
ProPublica — Machine Bias: COMPAS Analysis
https://www.propublica.org/article/machine-bias-risk-assessments-in-criminal-sentencing
ProPublica — Machine Bias: COMPAS Analysis
https://www.propublica.org/article/machine-bias-risk-assessments-in-criminal-sentencing
Social Science Research Network — Dirty Data, Bad Predictions
Social Science Research Network — Dirty Data, Bad Predictions
Brennan Center — Predictive Policing Explained
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/predictive-policing-explained
Brennan Center — Predictive Policing Explained
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/predictive-policing-explained
Fusion Centers
Fusion Centers
ACLU — What's Wrong With Fusion Centers
https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/publications/fusioncenter_20071212.pdf
ACLU — What's Wrong With Fusion Centers
https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/publications/fusioncenter_20071212.pdf
ACLU FOIA Lawsuit — Fusion Center Surveillance of Protesters
ACLU FOIA Lawsuit — Fusion Center Surveillance of Protesters
Senate Subcommittee Report — Fusion Centers Endanger Civil Liberties
https://www.aclu.org/news/national-security/fusion-centers-too-much-bad-information
Senate Subcommittee Report — Fusion Centers Endanger Civil Liberties
https://www.aclu.org/news/national-security/fusion-centers-too-much-bad-information