The FBI's reported new plan to read your emails

A proposed change to surveillance laws would empower the government to wiretap electronic communications

Be careful what you type.
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The White House is "on the verge" of approving a drastic overhaul of the nation's wiretapping laws that would give the government more power to obtain personal internet communications, according to The New York Times' Charlie Savage.

Citing officials close to the discussions, Savage reports the plan, a brainchild of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, would allow courts to impose stiff fines on internet communications providers who refuse to comply with federal search orders. The FBI, which has sought similar changes for at least the past three years, says it must update the nation's surveillance laws to keep pace with the rapidly evolving world of digital communications.

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Jon Terbush

Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.