EPIC Seeks Records About Lawfulness of Use of Location Data for Public Health Surveillance

EPIC has submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the Department of Justice seeking legal analysis concerning the collection and use of GPS and cell phone location data for public health surveillance. EPIC explained "The Department of Justice plays a key role advising the President regarding the lawfulness of proposed activities, and particularly the proposed expansion of government authorities during a time of national crisis." EPIC wrote, "If the Department of Justice is considering the use of cell phone data to address the public health crisis, it should first consider whether the use is lawful and that analysis should be made available to the public." EPIC pursued a FOIA lawsuit during the Bush Administration, EPIC v. DOJ, for the legal memos concerning the warrantless wiretapping program that was later repealed by Congress.