Mass surveillance and the rise of techno-feudalism represent a growing threat to personal privacy and freedom, and 2026 proved neither major party thinks your consent is required. In June, Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act expired for the first time since 2008, and the surveillance did not stop, because a secret court certification keeps the collection running until March 2027. The program sweeps in Americans' calls, texts, and emails, which the FBI searches without a warrant, and it has been used on protesters, journalists, and members of Congress. The same warrantless tracking now watches Michigan's roads. Networks of automated license plate readers photograph every passing car and feed the data into nationwide databases that police, federal agencies, and even individual officers have searched without warrants, including officers documented using them to stalk women. As Senator, Lydia will vote against reauthorization of Section 702 without a warrant requirement, work to close the data broker loophole that lets agencies buy your location history instead of getting a warrant, demand declassification of the FISA Court opinions that govern this collection, and work to tear the license plate reader dragnet out by the roots: banning federal agencies from accessing or funding these networks and standing with every Michigan community that removes them.
The same data markets serve the private companies that own the platforms you depend on, so Lydia will propose a comprehensive Bill of Digital Rights: your data recognized as your private property, your right to privacy guaranteed,no collection or sale of personal identifying information without consent, a ban on federal use of facial recognition for mass surveillance and strict penalties for violations. Your digital life belongs to you, and Lydia will put that into law.