Marketplace All-in-One How government uses "surveillance as a service" to collect data
Mar 2, 2026
Jeramie Scott, senior counsel and director of the Surveillance Oversight Program at EPIC, explains how governments tap private data sources. He outlines how agencies obtain data through subpoenas, purchases and data brokers. He talks about surveillance-as-a-service products like license-plate databases. He highlights legal loopholes around third-party data and the push for federal reform.
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Government Gets Data Through Private Companies
- The government often acquires personal data indirectly through private companies rather than collecting it itself.
- Jeramie Scott explains DHS uses administrative subpoenas and buys data from brokers to access consumer information without direct collection.
Data Broker Purchases Can Sidestep Warrants
- Buying data from companies can let law enforcement bypass Fourth Amendment warrant requirements established for government-collected data.
- Scott highlights data purchases as a loophole where info requiring a warrant if directly collected is instead bought from brokers.
Surveillance As A Service Powers Law Enforcement
- Companies sell 'surveillance as a service' like license plate reader networks and analytical tools directly to law enforcement.
- Scott names firms such as Flock that aggregate plate reads into searchable databases used by DHS and ICE.