Walden University ScholarWorks Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection 2018 U.S. Individuals' Perceptions of Government Electronic Surveillance After Passage of the USA Patriot Act Floyd Edwards Walden University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations Part of the Public Policy Commons This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection at ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Walden University College of Social and Behavioral Sciences This is to certify that the doctoral dissertation by Floyd Alexander Edwards has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the review committee have been made. Review Committee Dr. Patricia Ripoll, Committee Chairperson, Public Policy and Administration Faculty Dr. Kathleen Schulin, Committee Member, Public Policy and Administration Faculty Dr. James Mosko, University Reviewer, Public Policy and Administration Faculty Chief Academic Officer Eric Riedel, Ph.D. Walden University 2017 Abstract U.S. Individuals’ Perceptions of Government Electronic Surveillance After Passage of the USA Patriot Act by Floyd Edwards MS, Troy State University, 2000 BS, Troy State University, 1996 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Public Policy and Administration Walden University February 2018 Abstract Since the implementation of the USA Patriot Act in October 2001, public trust in the U.S. federal government to protect individuals’ right to privacy has been affected negatively. Many studies have addressed this topic, but few have delved deeply into the reasons behind the distrust. The purposes of this qualitative study were, to explore the perceptions and attitudes of U.S. citizens regarding the effect of the USA Patriot Act on their right to privacy, to determine whether a loss of trust in the government occurred, and to identify the factors contributing to the lack of trust. The theoretical foundation for this study was Rawl’s Social Perspective of Public Trust, Sax’s Augmentation of Social Contract Theory, and Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior. The central research question pertained to the views of U.S. citizens about the federal government’s use of electronic surveillance to monitor their communication without their knowledge. A generic qualitative study design was employed using purposeful, semi-structured interviews of 20 purposely sampled adult male and female U.S. citizens. Data from the interviews were coded and categorized for thematic analysis. When confronted with the lesser known specifics of the electronic surveillance provision of the USA Patriot Act, participants were more likely to reject the government interference as an invasion of privacy. This study can provide guidance for the democratic basis of policymaking designed to protect U.S. citizens. The implication for social change includes providing information to policymakers of both the US and organizations of various sizes regarding the polarized views and lack of trust pertaining to electronic surveillance among U.S. public. This information can be used to implement program or campaign to foster trust. U.S. Individuals’ Perceptions of Government Electronic Surveillance After Passage of the USA Patriot Act by Floyd Edwards MS, Troy State University, 2000 BS, Troy State University, 1996 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Public Policy and Administration Walden University February 2018 Dedication I would like to dedicate this dissertation to my immediate Family, my Siblings and my Mom and Dad who are no longer with us; thank you for your support throughout my academic career Acknowledgments This dissertation was made possible through the help, advice, and support of many individuals. I am immensely grateful to those individuals who have helped me on this project. Among them are friends and colleagues in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences Department at Walden University, and others with whom I have interacted during the course of my dissertation. I was fortunate to get two leading scholars on my dissertation committee as my research supervisors: Dr. Patricia Ripoll as the committee chair, and Dr. Kathleen Schulin as a committee member. These scholars took a personal interest in my work, which became evident during the many discussions about this project, and they made me feel that my work was important. Dr. Ripoll had command of a vast range of literature, which was an invaluable resource for me. Dr. Schulin, whom I consider a trustworthy advisor, constantly reminded me of the importance of staying on task with my research. The other scholars I met in the Public Policy and Administration program at Walden University have all had some influence on how my thoughts evolved. A very special thanks to Dr. Anthony Leisner and Dr. Mark Gordon for leaving their impressions on my thought processes. I would like to genuinely appeal for forgiveness to those whom I have failed to name above for the oversight. Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study ................................................................................... 1 Problem Statement ........................................................................................................ 2 Purpose of the Study ..................................................................................................... 5 Research Questions ....................................................................................................... 6 Theoretical Framework ................................................................................................. 7 Nature of the Study ..................................................................................................... 11 Definition of Terms..................................................................................................... 12 Assumptions ................................................................................................................ 13 Scope and Delimitations ............................................................................................. 13 Limitations .................................................................................................................. 14 Significance of the Study ............................................................................................ 15 Summary ..................................................................................................................... 16 Chapter 2: Literature Review ............................................................................................ 18 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 18 Literature Search Strategy........................................................................................... 20 Theoretical Foundation ............................................................................................... 21 Electronic Surveillance Defined ........................................................................... 25 Current Government Electronic Surveillance ....................................................... 26 Four Controversial Provisions of the USA Patriot Act ......................................... 33 i Section 215...................................................................................................... 34 Section 505...................................................................................................... 36 Section 218...................................................................................................... 38 Section 206...................................................................................................... 39 Rulings and Constitutionality Under USA Patriot Act ......................................... 40 NSA Leaks and the Constitutionality of the USA Patriot Act .............................. 44 Public Perceptions of the USA Patriot Act ........................................................... 47 NSA Leaks and Public Opinion of Data Surveillance .......................................... 60 Conclusion and Deficiencies in the Data .................................................................... 61 Summary ..................................................................................................................... 63 Chapter 3: Research Method ............................................................................................. 65 Research Design and Rationale .................................................................................. 66 Qualitative Studies ................................................................................................ 66 Generic Qualitative Approach .................................................................................... 68 Role of the Researcher ................................................................................................ 69 Methodology ............................................................................................................... 72 Participant Selection Logic ..................................................................................