In 2001, the USA PATRIOT Act weakened privacy laws and gave the federal government more latitude in searching private citizens' records and intercepting electronic communications without a court order.
<h3>Aims of USA PATRIOT Act</h3>
The USA PATRIOT Act was passed with the intent of preventing and punishing acts of terrorism both domestically and abroad, and improving the investigative capabilities of law enforcement, among other things.
To intensify U.S. efforts to prevent, identify, and pursue criminal prosecution of international money laundering and terrorism financing.
To give foreign jurisdictions, foreign financial institutions, and classes of international transactions or types of accounts that are vulnerable to criminal abuse special scrutiny.
To mandate that all appropriate components of the financial services industry report potential money laundering.
To intensify efforts to prevent the use of the U.S. financial system as a means of illicit financial gain.
For example, if a small child is getting picked on to no avail at school, it will negatively affect their grades, health, and happiness. It will make them tougher in the end though.
