Federal Authorities Have Discovered an additional Method for Monitoring Your Correspondence
Federal Authorities Have Discovered an additional Method for Monitoring Your Correspondence
An lesser-known U.S. Postal Service plan titled the "mail covers program" has been reportedly supplying information about particular American's mail to various federal law enforcement agencies, as stated by the Washington Post on Monday. Despite authorities stating that the program is solely utilized for investigating criminal activities, it appears to be extensively used, and several citizens claim they were targeted by the program despite being law-abiding citizens.
The mail covers program does not permit external organizations to open a person's mail, but it does enable them to view the data printed on the outside of letters and packages. As per a previously published document on the program, a "mail cover" is described as an "investigative tool used to record data appearing on the outside of a mailpiece." This information could potentially provide a wealth of information about an individual under surveillance.
Some of the agencies that have requested information include the FBI, IRS, Department of Homeland Security, and the Postal Service’s investigatory branch, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. However, the Washington Post reports that "state and local police forces" have also been known to utilize the program. Luckily for investigators (and unfortunately for the rest of us), no court order or judge's approval is required to access the information on the mail's label.
The frequency of the program's use is rather significant. A previous audit of the program revealed that the Post Office approved over 158,000 information requests during a four-year period. More recent data that was shared with curious legislators showed that police agencies made an average of approximately 6,700 requests a year, according to the Post. These same legislators, including Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), have taken initiative to demand for more transparency and better restrictions on the program.
In comparison to another well-known mail-tracking program, the Mail Isolation Control and Tracking program, which supposedly photographs the exteriors of all mail that moves through the U.S. Postal system, the mail covers program is relatively minimal. This program, which is allegedly used for sorting and organizational purposes, can also be used for law enforcement purposes, as reported by a previous story by the AP.
Gizmodo reached out to the Justice Department and the Post Office for comment, and we will update this story if they respond.
The mail covers program, being a part of tech-driven modern surveillance methods, raises questions about future privacy concerns in technology. With no court order needed to access information on mail's labels, there's potential for misuse, sparking a need for stricter regulations in technology.