Electronic surveillance

The FBI Can Still Spy On You Even If You're Using Tor And Don't Ask Why

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) can still spy on users who use the Tor browser to remain anonymous on the web.

Senior U.S. District Court Judge Henry Coke Morgan, Jr. has ruled that the FBI does not need a warrant to hack into a U.S. citizen's computer system. The ruling by the district judge relates to FBI sting called Operation Pacifier, which targeted a child pornography site called PlayPen on the Dark web.

The accused used Tor to access these websites. The federal agency, with the help of hacking tools on computers in Greece, Denmark, Chile and the U.S., was able to catch 1,500 pedophiles during the operation.

The FBI also took control of PlayPen and left it live for about a couple of weeks before shutting it down.

Morgan said that the FBI's hacking without a warrant did not violate the Fourth Amendment that protects American citizens from irrational seizure and search.