Why Aren't Cable Companies Protected Under the Patriot Act?

The Patriot Act allows a cable company to give federal law enforcement and anti-terrorism units access to its customer records without first contacting the customers, according to PBS. The Act allows this in Section 211 by clarifying the scope of the federal Cable Act.

Function

• Section 211 is designed to help investigators obtain crucial information regarding terrorism suspects. The Justice Department cites an incident in Lafayette, Louisiana, where a person sent more than 200 threatening letters, laced with white powder, to various government agencies, reported NPR.

Benefits

• The Patriot Act eliminated potential loopholes that could be used by terrorists to escape Internet surveillance. Without Section 211 of the Patriot Act, terrorists and other criminals would be able to avoid investigations by choosing cable companies as their Internet providers, rather than other communication options, according to NPR.

Potential

• Section 211 and Section 212 of the Patriot Act allow cable companies to act if they have found evidence of a terrorist plot or conspiracy by its customers in cases of emergencies, according to KeytLaw.