Acclaimed for his role as the Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Mark Ruffalo recently took to Twitter to express his rage at the news that the FISA Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2023 (FRRA) would renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) unanimously approved the bill on December 7, 2023. Also, note that the bill has yet to be passed.
Reaching peak ‘Hulk Smash’ mode, the actor—the Marvel star—did not hold back in expressing his concerns, stating that “we have a right to privacy” in this nation.
FISA Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2023
According to the New York Times, the United States is currently debating legislation that might expand the government’s powers to conduct mass surveillance under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). FISA’s Section 702 permits the US government to monitor foreign nationals.
Several bills are being considered to extend Section 702, which is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2023. The FISA Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2023, which was presented by the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI), is one such bill.
However, this bill, according to the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), is
“An absolutely awful bill that renews a mass surveillance law with no real changes, reforms, or new oversight in order to ignore years of abuse and unconstitutional surveillance.”
Moreover, US Senator Ron Wyden posted a message on X outlining the issues with the bill, tweeting:
While the current law doesn't make it impossible to intentionally collect Americans' private communications, it does make it harder. The House Intel Committee's bill will make it easier for the federal government to collect Americans' private communications without a warrant.
— Ron Wyden (@RonWyden) December 11, 2023
According to the NY reports, the government’s ability to request electronic communication records is expanded by the FISA Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2023.
Also Read: “This is really difficult material!”: The 1 Role That Really Challenged Mark Ruffalo isn’t MCU
Mark Ruffalo Can’t Remain Silent About The New Federal Rule’s Effects
Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which was first enacted in 2008, made legal a particular type of secret warrantless surveillance program that the Bush administration had initiated. According to Section 702, the government is permitted to obtain, without a warrant, the messages of noncitizens living abroad, even if those individuals are communicating with Americans. This was made to provide the government with the power to surveil non-citizens of the United States without a warrant and obtain intelligence on foreign affairs.
As the MCU maintains its dominance in the box office, one can not help but wonder what Mark Ruffalo thinks of these recent amendments. The recent enactment of these amendments to Section 702 has spurred a flurry of expert discussion and debate. Remarkably, it has also attracted the attention of the Now You See Me star. The irate actor recently tweeted:
Folks, this is way too much. In this country we have a right to privacy. Yes we need safety, but this goes too far. https://t.co/zM1KLXRBiP
— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) December 12, 2023
Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, a member of the Rules Committee who would have had to give his approval to the maneuver, said (as per the NY Times):
“I’ve never seen us bring multiple bills at the same time from different committees and put them on the floor and have a beauty pageant. I think this would set a horrible precedent for legislating.”
Still, the Hulk’s existence in the legal system highlights the importance of these changes and the requirement for justice in the legal system.
In terms of work, he is slated to star as Hieronymous Marshall in Bong Joon-ho’s science fiction film Mickey 17, which is set to be released in 2024. Ruffalo will be starring alongside Robert Pattinson, Steven Yeun, and Toni Colette. The movie is based on Edward Ashton’s novel Mickey7.
