U.S. Supreme Court approves expansion of FBI's hacking power

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court on Thursday approved a rule change that would allow U.S. judges to issue search warrants for access to computers located in any jurisdiction when their location is unknown, despite opposition from civil liberties groups who say it will greatly expand the FBI's hacking authority. U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts transmitted the rules to Congress, which will have until Dec. 1 to reject or modify the changes to the federal rules of criminal procedure. If Congress does not act, the rules would take effect automatically. U.S. officials have portrayed the change as a common-sense administrative revision that is needed because criminals increasingly use technology to hide their true locations. The U.S. Justice Department, which has pushed the rule change since 2013, has described it as a minor modification needed to modernize the criminal code for the digital age, and has said it would not permit searches or seizures that are not already legal.