On October 26, 2001, President George W. Bush signs the Patriot Act into law, widening the federal government’s surveillance powers. The Patriot Act authorizes the government to search third-party records without notice of the user and does not require the federal government to notify individuals if they have been searched, according to a report by the American Civil Liberties Union.

Andy Nelson/The Christian Science Monitor
President George W. Bush is surrounded by lawmakers as he signs the Patriot Act Anti-Terrorism Bill on October 26, 2001 in Washington, DC.