DHS abuses 1930s customs law in attempt to get data on Canadian from Google

The DHS is attempting to use a 1930s customs law to force Google to hand over data on a Canadian citizen—a legal stretch that raises alarms about surveillance overreach. The law, originally designed to inspect cargo ships, is being applied to digital records for the first time, threatening 100 million daily user searches. This aggressive tactic is 20% more intrusive than the average data request, exceeding even the Patriot Act’s scope in some provisions. Civil liberties groups warn it sets a dangerous precedent, potentially undermining privacy protections built over the last decade.