FBI Violated Surveillance Laws

WASHINGTON — In cases that range from snagging bank records to eavesdropping on emails, classified documents obtained by the Washington Post today suggest the FBI has violated state and federal surveillance laws in a number of its investigations.

According to records declassified in an ongoing Freedom of Information Act lawsuit brought on by the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), hundreds of potentially illegal activities were authorized by the FBI in recent years, especially following the terrorists attacks in New York on Sept. 11.

The papers include cases where emails and bank records were obtained without proper warrants, “unconsented physical” searches of suspects were authorized and even years of covert surveillance in the U.S. of suspects who were tracked without the Justice Department’s knowledge, which is a violation of Justice guidelines.

The documents have already sparked debate in the House and Senate, where politicians must once again face the controversial freedoms laid out in the Patriot Act, which made searching and surveillance easier for law enforcement after Sept. 11 but has consistently ignited controversy as a potential time bomb of civil liberties abuse.

“We're seeing what might be the tip of the iceberg at the FBI and across the intelligence community,” EPIC's General Counsel David Sobel said. “It indicates that the existing mechanisms do not appear adequate to prevent abuses or to ensure the public that abuses that are identified are treated seriously and remedied.”

The FBI, however, is taking the cases lightly, saying the “abuses” were little more than a result of clerical errors or minor miscommunications.

“Every investigator wants to make sure that their investigation is handled appropriately, because they're not going to be allowed to keep information that they didn't have the proper authority to obtain,” one senior FBI official told the Post, speaking anonymously during the ongoing case. “But that is a relatively uncommon occurrence. The vast majority of the [cases] reported have to do with administrative timelines and time frames for renewing orders.”

Nonetheless, Sobel said 287 violations were found between 2002 and 2004 alone, and is calling for legislation that would require the attorney general to report any FBI violations to the Senate. To aid their case, Sobel and other EPIC representatives sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee today claiming the new documents prove very little is known about how the FBI conducts itself.

The adult community is, of course, no stranger to the eye of the FBI. The EPIC case comes just weeks after the offices of Max Hardcore’s Max World Entertainment were raided by the FBI and a month after the FBI established an anti-obscenity squad to target obscenity abuses throughout the country.

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

UPDATED: Supreme Court Rules Against Adult Industry in Pivotal Texas AV Case

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday issued its decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, striking a blow against the online adult industry by ruling in support of Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181.

North Carolina Passes Extreme Bill Targeting Adult Sites

The North Carolina state legislature this week ratified a bill that would impose new regulations that industry observers have warned could push adult websites and platforms to ban most adult creators and content.

Supreme Court Ruling Due Friday in FSC v. Paxton AV Case

The U.S. Supreme Court will rule on Friday in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, the adult industry trade association's challenge to Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181.

Ofcom: More Porn Providers Commit to Age Assurance Measures

A number of adult content providers operating in the U.K. have confirmed that they plan to introduce age checks in compliance with the Online Safety Act by the July 25 deadline, according to U.K. media regulator Ofcom.

Aylo Says It Will Comply With UK Age Assurance Requirements

Tech and media company Aylo, which owns various adult properties including Pornhub, YouPorn and Redtube, plans to introduce age assurance methods in the United Kingdom that satisfy government rules under the Online Safety Act, the company has announced.

Kyrgyzstan Parliament Approves Measure Outlawing Internet Porn

The Supreme Council of Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday passed legislation outlawing online adult content in the country.

Trial Set for Lawsuit by U Wisconsin Professor Fired Over Adult Content

A trial date of June 22, 2026, has been set for the civil lawsuit filed by veteran communications professor Joe Gow against the University of Wisconsin board of regents, which fired him for creating and appearing in adult content.

New UK Task Force Meets to Target Adult Content

The architect of an influential report that recommended banning adult content deemed “degrading, violent and misogynistic” has convened an “Independent Pornography Review task force” aimed at translating that report’s findings into action in the U.K.

French Court Suspends Age Verification Rule for EU Sites

The Paris Administrative Court has suspended enforcement of age verification regulations for sites based in other European Union member nations, pending a final judgment on whether France’s AV rules align with EU standards.

UK Parliament Weighs Proposals Targeting Adult Content

The U.K. Parliament this week debated proposed amendments to the pending Crime and Policing Bill, including clauses criminalizing “choking” content — and potentially outlawing paying for sex acts in cam performances and custom clips.

Show More