US Government Surveillance and Data Quiz

The Internal Revenue Service collects personal financial information, including income, assets, and charitable contributions, through income tax forms.

A federal database containing records about various crimes, aiding police in solving cases.

The National Crime Information Center (NCIC) aided in the arrest of Timothy McVeigh for the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.

A database providing state and local police with information from federal agencies, including incident reports and interrogation summaries.

Closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras used for surveillance, sometimes with added features like license plate readers and radiation detectors.

A case where surveillance camera footage was instrumental in apprehending suspects.

The amendment giving the federal government the power to collect income tax.

Devices used by police to scan license plates, often mounted on vehicles or in fixed locations like toll booths.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules limit drone size (under 25 lbs), altitude (under 400 ft), and daylight operation within operator's view.

Guarantees the right of people to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures, demanding warrants based on probable cause.

Secretly recording phone or electronic communications without the involved individuals' awareness.

Legal document issued by a judge allowing law enforcement to conduct a search of a person, place, or thing with specific details about what to search for.

Secret surveillance methods, including techniques like wiretaps and drones, used to obtain information on individuals.

Varying public views on the need for police drones, some supporting their use for rescue missions, but others opposing their use for activities like targeting speeders.

Supreme Court case that determined wiretapping without a search warrant was legal. Later judged in violation of the 4th amendment.

Federal law making wiretapping without a court warrant illegal.

Supreme Court case requiring judicial warrants for wiretapping to be legal, overturning the earlier Omstead decision.

Searching through databases to find patterns and relationships in data.

IRS uses data mining to find possible tax fraud by comparing tax forms with other records.

Data mining system that detects outbreaks using patterns in data like 911 calls and ER visits.

Database of phone call records created after 9/11 to find potential terrorist networks.

Matching tax forms with information from employers, banks etc. to detect errors.

FBI mistakenly identified Brandon Mayfield as a suspect in the 2004 Madrid bombings based on a false fingerprint match, leading to his detention and a later apology.

The National Security Agency (NSA) accessed Verizon customers' telephone metadata (date, time, location, and length of calls, but not contents) without a court order until 2015.

Guidelines created to regulate government databases and prevent misuse of personal information, emphasizing transparency and access.

2015 law requiring a court order for government agencies to access telecommunication metadata.

The spread of statistical data across multiple government agencies, creating issues of access and oversight.

A proposed centralized repository for government statistical data.

Federal law requiring new driver's licenses with specific security features (biometric, machine-readable, multiple IDs required etc.) for various purposes.

Driver's licenses meeting the requirements of the Real ID Act.

The process of sharing information.

Protects student educational records, allowing parents and eligible students to access and request changes.

Protects rental records from disclosure without consent; requires stores to destroy records after 1 year.

Laws that restrict the dissemination of personal information to protect privacy.

Gives the federal government the power to collect income tax.

Internal Revenue Service, collects income taxes.

National Crime Information Center, database of crimes.

US DoJ database, providing information with incident reports to police.

CCTV cameras used for monitoring.

Case where surveillance camera footage helped with apprehension of suspects.

Forms used for reporting income to the IRS, containing personal information.

Searching through databases to uncover patterns and connections within data.

The IRS uses data mining to identify potential tax fraud by comparing income tax forms with other financial records.

A data mining system designed to recognize emerging disease trends or bioterrorism attacks through various data points.

A database of phone calls and other communications data—created after 9/11—analyzed to potentially identify terrorist networks.

Comparing tax form data with records from employers, banks, and other sources to identify discrepancies and potential tax fraud.

Searching for patterns and relationships within a dataset to gain insights.

Devices used by law enforcement to scan license plates, often mounted on vehicles or in fixed locations like toll booths.

Small unmanned aerial vehicles used by police for surveillance.

Federal Aviation Administration rules that limit drone size, altitude, and operation times.

Guarantees the right of the people to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures, demanding warrants based on probable cause.

Secretly recording phone or electronic communications without the involved individuals' awareness.

A legal document issued by a judge authorizing law enforcement to conduct a search of a specific person, place, or thing.

Secret surveillance methods, including techniques like wiretaps and drones, used by the government.

Opinions vary on the use of police drones, with some supporting their use for rescue missions but others opposing their use for other purposes.

A Supreme Court case that ruled wiretapping without a warrant to be acceptable.

A federal law making wiretapping without a warrant illegal.

A Supreme Court case stating that wiretaps require warrants.

Federal law requiring new, more secure driver's licenses for various purposes, including flying and accessing government services.

Driver's licenses that meet the standards of the Real ID Act, with security features like biometrics and multiple IDs.

The process of sharing information.

Federal law protecting student educational records, allowing parents and eligible students to access and request changes.

Federal law protecting video rental records from disclosure without consent, and requiring retailers to destroy records.

Laws that restrict the sharing of personal information to protect privacy.

Improved identification can reduce identity fraud, aid in law enforcement, and prevent criminals from hiding their identities.

A law limiting how medical information can be used by doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, and insurance companies, requiring authorization to release information and informing patients about its use.

A federal law enabling public access to US government records, primarily focusing on the executive branch.

Automatic toll collection system used on many US roads, bridges and tunnels, allowing drivers to pay tolls without stopping.

A Supreme Court case addressing the legality of obtaining cell phone location data without a warrant.

The government's role in balancing citizens' desires for privacy with safety and security needs.

Laws that limit the methods and extent of information collection by the government.

Actions involved in gathering personal data.

Activities involving storing, manipulating, and using collected personal information.

Actions that spread personal information.

Activities interfering with a person's daily life, solitude, or decision-making processes.

Secret government monitoring techniques like wiretaps or drones.

Secretly recording conversations or electronic communications.

A judge-authorized document allowing law enforcement to search specific locations or people.

Analyzing large datasets to discover patterns and relationships.

Legislation expanding government surveillance powers, particularly after 9/11.

The government's challenge in balancing citizens' privacy with national security.

The FBI mistakenly identified Brandon Mayfield as a suspect in the 2004 Madrid bombings based on a false fingerprint match, leading to his detention and a later apology.

The National Security Agency (NSA) accessed Verizon customers' telephone metadata (date, time, location, and length of calls, but not contents) without a court order until 2015.

2015 law requiring a court order for government agencies to access telecommunication metadata.

Guidelines created to regulate government databases and prevent misuse of personal information, emphasizing transparency and access.

The spread of statistical data across multiple government agencies, creating issues of access and oversight.

A proposed centralized repository for government statistical data.

A series of terrorist bombings that occurred in Madrid, Spain, in 2004.

The FBI made a mistake in identifying Brandon Mayfield as a suspect in the 2004 Madrid bombings.

A search warrant is required for placing a hidden microphone (bug).

World War II-era surveillance program intercepting international telegrams, later expanded to telephone calls.

The National Security Agency (NSA) was established in 1952, and later expanded its surveillance capabilities.

Organized crime figures and Cuba-related individuals and businesses were targeted during the Kennedy administration.

Vietnam War protesters were targeted for surveillance during the Johnson and Nixon administrations.

Surveillance expanded to target individuals involved in the war on drugs during the Nixon administration.

FBI's surveillance program developed in the late 1990s, monitoring internet traffic (e.g. emails).

Captured packets of internet traffic associated with a particular IP address.

President Bush authorized new, secret intel-gathering operations in the US after the 9/11 attacks.

Bush signed an order allowing NSA to intercept international phone calls/emails initiated from within the US without warrants.

About 500 people inside US and 5,000-7,000 outside US were monitored.

A US DoD database (2003) designed to track suspicious activities/terrorist threats near military bases.

Contained reports submitted by military personnel or civilians, categorized as credible or not credible.

Included reports about anti-war protests, and was later recommended for termination.

Organizations cannot legally use a person's information without their permission.

Database owners and users are responsible for ensuring information accuracy and preventing its misuse.

This act applies only to government databases indexed by personal identifiers, with no designated federal enforcer.

Protects information used by credit bureaus, limiting negative records to 7 years (except for bankruptcy and criminal convictions).

Enacted in 2004, this law allows consumers to request and receive free credit reports once a year.

Also known as Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, it regulated the merging of financial services while requiring privacy policies and customer notices.

Using data analysis to predict where crimes are likely to happen, and then deploying police to those areas.

Creating descriptions of groups presumed to engage in crime, which could wrongly identify innocent people.

Arguments in favor of a national ID card emphasize its potential to reduce illegal immigration, improve identification, and deter crime.

Concerns about national ID cards center on the potential for misuse, inaccuracy, and the increased vulnerability of law-abiding citizens to fraud.

A number assigned to track earnings and taxes, though it is not a consistently reliable form of identification due to potential duplication and limited verification measures.