EFF, joined by Access, filed public comments last week urging the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB) to tackle the unknown spying activities occurring under Executive Order 12333 (EO 12333). The Executive Order is supposed to protect Americans from presidentially-directed spying; however, despite the protections, EO 12333 is being used for mass spying that collects Americans' communications, address books, and other information.

The letter urges the PCLOB to expand its investigation into EO 12333 and

explore the entire scope of surveillance conducted thereunder, the entire gamut of policies overseeing such collection, and what reforms could be implemented to narrow this authority.

The comments also touch on other topics including the impact of Presidential Policy Directive 28, the efficacy of the surveillance programs, the US government's severe overclassification problem, and the US government's failure to fully implement the International Principles on the Application of Human Rights to Communications Surveillance.

In a separate filing, we also talked about the problems with Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR) as a functional standard for information sharing between law enforcement agencies. We urged the board to thoroughly examine the standards that govern SAR and the way in which these standards have been applied.

The PCLOB plays an important role in informing the public about intelligence and law enforcement activities, and we hope it continues to offer highly detailed public reports. The comments come due just as Congress ends its summer vacation and has a chance to advance an NSA reform bill called the USA FREEDOM Act. Tell your Senator now to cosponsor the bill by tweeting at them, sending them an email, or even setting up an in-district meeting.