People could face existing espionage charges for some videos of protected defense information. The bill adds video to a current federal law instead of creating a new crime.
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Drone Espionage Act is a Senate bill waiting for floor action. The latest recorded action: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 316.
Latest action on S. 1809: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 316.
Who this affects: This bill mainly affects people most likely to record or share video near defense-related places, plus the people who enforce espionage laws. The biggest real-world effect falls on anyone whose video might contain protected national defense information.
Why this matters: This matters because people now gather and share information by video all the time, including with phones and drones, while the older law was written around older media. The bill would make clear that video can be treated the same way as photos and documents under that law. That could make prosecutions easier in some defense-related cases. It could also raise more questions for people who record near military or other sensitive areas.
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