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Oh, And One More Thing: NSA Directly Accessing Information From Google, Facebook, Skype, Apple And More

Privacy

from the not-a-good-week-for-the-nsa dept

Thu, Jun 6th 2013 3:35pm — Mike Masnick
Obviously, the Verizon/NSA situation was merely a small view into just how much spying the NSA is doing on everyone. And it seems to be spurring further leaks and disclosures. The latest, from the Washington Post, is that the NSA has direct data mining capabilities into the data held by nine of the biggest internet/tech companies:
The technology companies, which participate knowingly in PRISM operations, include most of the dominant global players of Silicon Valley. They are listed on a roster that bears their logos in order of entry into the program: “Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, Facebook, PalTalk, AOL, Skype, YouTube, Apple.” PalTalk, although much smaller, has hosted significant traffic during the Arab Spring and in the ongoing Syrian civil war.

Dropbox , the cloud storage and synchronization service, is described as “coming soon.”
This program, like the constant surveillance of phone records, began in 2007, though other programs predated it. They claim that they're not collecting all data, but it's not clear that makes a real difference:
The PRISM program is not a dragnet, exactly. From inside a company’s data stream the NSA is capable of pulling out anything it likes, but under current rules the agency does not try to collect it all.

Analysts who use the system from a Web portal at Fort Meade key in “selectors,” or search terms, that are designed to produce at least 51 percent confidence in a target’s “foreignness.” That is not a very stringent test. Training materials obtained by the Post instruct new analysts to submit accidentally collected U.S. content for a quarterly report, “but it’s nothing to worry about.”

Even when the system works just as advertised, with no American singled out for targeting, the NSA routinely collects a great deal of American content.
I expect we'll be seeing more such revelations before long.
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Filed Under: data, data mining, nsa, privacy, spying
Companies: aol, apple, dropbox, facebook, google, microsoft, paltalk, skype, yahoo

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  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 6 Jun 2013 @ 3:37pm

    ...Can someone remind me again why the NSA et al want a backdoor in all communications technology?

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 6 Jun 2013 @ 3:51pm

      Re:

      Because terrorists.
      Because America.
      Because the children.
      Because drugs.
      Because gun violence.

      Take your pick.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      justok (profile), 6 Jun 2013 @ 4:05pm

      Re:

      The NSA/CSS core missions are to protect U.S. national security systems and to produce foreign signals intelligence information

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        Michael Long (profile), 6 Jun 2013 @ 4:26pm

        Re: Re:

        That's the mission, yes. And they're true patriots, staffed and managed by human beings who would never, ever even consider abusing the systems under their control.

        All for the greater good, of course.

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          justok (profile), 6 Jun 2013 @ 4:46pm

          Re: Re: Re:

          But...but...but...They have Core Values!

          We will protect national security interests by adhering to the highest standards of behavior:

          Lawfulness – We will adhere to the spirit and the letter of the Constitution and the laws and regulations of the United States.
          Honesty – We will be truthful with each other, and honor the public's need for openness, balanced against national security interests.
          Integrity – We will behave honorably and apply good judgment as we would if our activities were under intense public scrutiny.
          Fairness – We will ensure equal opportunity and fairness in Agency policies, programs, and practices.
          Accountability – We will be accountable for our actions and take responsibility for our decisions, practicing wise stewardship of public resources and placing prudent judgment over expediency.
          Loyalty – We will be loyal to the nation, the mission, and each other, weighing ideas solely on the merits and ensuring that decisions enjoy vigorous debate while being made, followed by unified implementation.
          Collaboration – We will cooperate with others in a respectful and open-minded manner, to our mutual success.
          Innovation – We will seek new ways to accomplish our mission, planning for the future based on what we've learned from the past, and thinking ahead to the best of our ability to avoid unintended consequences.
          Learning – We will acquire and transfer knowledge, provide the resources and training necessary for our people to remain at the forefront of technology, and individually pursue continuous learning.

          [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 6 Jun 2013 @ 3:46pm

    DNI Clapper misstated facts to Congress

    In March, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper responded to a question from Senator Wyden. Then,tThe DNI said that NSA does not wittingly collect any type of data on millions of Americans.

    That appears to be a mis-statement. NBC News reported tonight that DNI Clapper now clarifies that he was talking about email and not phone calls. But whether it's emails or phone calls, it now appears to be a mis-statement.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 6 Jun 2013 @ 3:53pm

      Re: DNI Clapper misstated facts to Congress

      Additional source…

      “Clapper Clarifies Remarks Over NSA Snooping”, by Michael Hirsh, National Journal (via Yahoo!), June 6, 2013

      On March 12, 2013, at a hearing of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Wyden asked Clapper: "Does the NSA collect any type of data at all on millions or hundreds of millions of Americans?" Clapper responded: "No, sir." When Wyden followed up by asking, "It does not?" Clapper said: "Not wittingly. There are cases where they could, inadvertently perhaps, collect — but not wittingly." Clapper did not specify at the time that he was referring to email.


      Wyden: Does the NSA collect any type of data at all on millions or hundreds of millions of Americans?

      DNI Clapper: No, sir.

      Wyden It does not?

      DNI Clapper: Not wittingly. There are cases where they could, inadvertently perhaps, collect — but not wittingly.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 6 Jun 2013 @ 3:49pm

    I think at this point the only sane action is to shut down the NSA and do a very deep investigation in their operations. Also please imprison the execs.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    BearGriz72 (profile), 6 Jun 2013 @ 3:49pm

    Oh Shit

    Here comes OotB with his anti-Google rants...
    in
    3
    2
    1
    .
    .
    .

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Violated (profile), 6 Jun 2013 @ 4:50pm

      Re: Oh Shit

      I would more congratulate Twitter and other top communication companies who refused to allow backdoor access for the US Administration and others.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Get off my cyber-lawn! (profile), 6 Jun 2013 @ 3:56pm

    Hi Speed Internet means

    the NSA can access your info that much faster! That's why I use a dial-up modem connected to a tin can and string connected to my commodore 64....even if I hadn't already given all my money to the crown prince of Ethiopia (i'm waiting for my bazillion dollar check to come in the USPS anyday now) you couldn't get my banking info off of my computator!

    And get off my cyber-lawn!

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 6 Jun 2013 @ 3:58pm

    Analysts who use the system from a Web portal at Fort Meade key in “selectors,” or search terms, that are designed to produce at least 51 percent confidence in a target’s “foreignness".

    So let me get this straight... the NSA use billions of dollars, break practically all rules about privacy in existence and lie about the whole thing; and the best they can come up with is a system that can do 1% better than tossing a coin... impressive.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 6 Jun 2013 @ 4:34pm

      Re:

      Eh, no.

      If I was flipping a coin, I would get 50% of positives would test false and vice versa. The negative does not equal the positive, (That is, the number of people under survey are not equally split between 'american' and 'not american'), so a coin flip would perform either much worse or much better. I suspect Americans are probably over-represented on American databases, but OTOH, there's 5.7 billion non-americans in total vs. 0.3 billion Americans.

      And then if the statement can be taken literally, then we're dealing with confidence, not probability, so that's another step removed and 51% is an odd number to use. Your confidence in a measurement is how sure you are that the true value falls within a certain range of the measurement. So I might say I have 99% confidence that there is a 19-20% probability of the next batch of mead also coming out sour. (Presumably my measurement would've been 19.5% of my batches are sour and my confidence interval would be +/- .5%)

      The wider the interval, the higher the confidence, so if it DOES mean confidence, and in the way I took it, 51% implies a very tiny interval. In this case, the interval is probably centred around 100%.

      "But then why would they say confidence instead of percent?"
      Because the confidence interval grows and shrinks with data variability. The less it varies, the more certain that the prediction of the prediction is true.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 6 Jun 2013 @ 5:28pm

        Re: Re:

        Thanks for the explanation and you are, of course, right. :)
        I knew when I wrote it that it was not meant to be interpreted like that. Just thought it was a bit wonky wording used.

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    coward (anon), 6 Jun 2013 @ 4:18pm

    Dropbox

    If the NSA is about to get backdoor access into DropBox, does anyone have any thoughts about whether cloud encryption apps like CloudFogger or DigitalQuick or CryptSync (the 3 that first came up on a Goggle search) will provide any security (ignore the fact that AES256 may be breakable by the NSA)? None of these apps indicate how their key management is being done, so their keys maybe already be exposed to the NSA?

    Not that I have anything to hide from the NSA, no, no, not me. My life is an open book.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 6 Jun 2013 @ 4:22pm

    Does a users "foreignness" matter? If you live in Idaho, I guess it does, but is it so much better to spy on germans, swedes and brits who using these american services?

    I'm pretty damn sure I'm foreign by any US standard, but I'm not allowed the protection of law from neither my own country or from the US? Gee. Guess I'm all fucked then huh?

    I should start sending fake emails between made up google accounts containing the phrase "don't forget to set the timer on the device" just to see how long it takes before the cops come banging on my door.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
    identicon
    out_of_the_blue, 6 Jun 2013 @ 4:30pm

    So, turnz owt I wuz rite about dat, as I habs been abowt ebbryfing else.

    http://cheezburger.com/6522441728

    Seriously, do you regard this as NEWS? I see that at least "BearGriz72" reads my posts (and thanks for the advance publicity, you embiggen my effect here, ankle-biter), so I can only conclude that Mike has consciously dodged associating NSA and Google (and the rest), but that's now become untenable. -- And on that line, this is just another routine roll-out to accustom the public to the new level of tyranny.


    Take a loopy tour of Techdirt.com! You always end up same place!
    http://techdirt.com/
    Where Mike's "no evidence of real harm" means he wants to let secretive mega-corporations continue to grow.
    12:29:44[n-842-8]

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 6 Jun 2013 @ 4:41pm

      Re: So, turnz owt I wuz rite about dat, as I habs been abowt ebbryfing else.

      A broken clock is right twice a day.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 6 Jun 2013 @ 5:47pm

        Re: Re: So, turnz owt I wuz rite about dat, as I habs been abowt ebbryfing else.

        Not if it's a digital clock. Then it's just broke.

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 6 Jun 2013 @ 6:37pm

          Re: Re: Re: So, turnz owt I wuz rite about dat, as I habs been abowt ebbryfing else.

          no, then it's right once a day - and broke

          [ link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Anonymous Coward, 7 Jun 2013 @ 8:00am

            Re: Re: Re: Re: So, turnz owt I wuz rite about dat, as I habs been abowt ebbryfing else.

            This is more like a digital clock that broke with all the possible LED segments lit at the same time: he's always right about everything given that you ignore all the things that are completely wrong.

            [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 6 Jun 2013 @ 4:45pm

      Re: So, turnz owt I wuz rite about dat, as I habs been abowt ebbryfing else.

      “Google cares deeply about the security of our users’ data,” a company spokesman said. “We disclose user data to government in accordance with the law, and we review all such requests carefully. From time to time, people allege that we have created a government ‘back door’ into our systems, but Google does not have a ‘back door’ for the government to access private user data.”

      I like this part: “We disclose user data to government in accordance with the law, and we review all such requests carefully."

      So, Google, are you telling me that someone has reviewed all the data that you give to the government? What was your basis for determining whether it was in accordance with the law and what law are you referring to?

      Furthermore, are you willing to testify under oath that there is no back door for the government?

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        Violated (profile), 6 Jun 2013 @ 5:00pm

        Re: Re: So, turnz owt I wuz rite about dat, as I habs been abowt ebbryfing else.

        Google can say anything they want.

        Remember that Congress passed a law in about 2008 which grants all these companies immunity from prosecution by their users for "breaking the law" with the US Administration.

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 6 Jun 2013 @ 5:21pm

          Re: Re: Re: So, turnz owt I wuz rite about dat, as I habs been abowt ebbryfing else.

          They absolutley can, but they can't lie under oath, can they?

          [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
      identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 6 Jun 2013 @ 4:48pm

      Re: So, turnz owt I wuz rite about dat, as I habs been abowt ebbryfing else.

      Masnick's been in denial about his patron, Google for some time now. I'm sure it's difficult walking around with all of that shit on his face.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 6 Jun 2013 @ 4:54pm

        Re: Re: So, turnz owt I wuz rite about dat, as I habs been abowt ebbryfing else.

        Please cite your sources for "his patron, Google".
        I'm curious to see what newsletter you are subscribing to.

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          Nigel (profile), 6 Jun 2013 @ 5:04pm

          Re: Re: Re: So, turnz owt I wuz rite about dat, as I habs been abowt ebbryfing else.

          He can't... he is simply full of shit. We have been through this ad nauseum. He has been proven wrong on that subject more times than I care to re-count.

          Nigel

          [ link to this | view in chronology ]

          • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
            identicon
            Anonymous Coward, 6 Jun 2013 @ 5:29pm

            Re: Re: Re: Re: So, turnz owt I wuz rite about dat, as I habs been abowt ebbryfing else.

            +1 head pat for you, pissboy.

            [ link to this | view in chronology ]

        • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
          identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 6 Jun 2013 @ 5:28pm

          Re: Re: Re: So, turnz owt I wuz rite about dat, as I habs been abowt ebbryfing else.

          Masnick was named by Google as one of its shills in the Oracle litigation. Look it up it is in the pleadings. Google also paid Masnick to write "The Sky Is Rising" laundering the payment through the CCIA.

          [ link to this | view in chronology ]

          • icon
            That One Guy (profile), 6 Jun 2013 @ 5:36pm

            Re: Re: Re: Re: So, turnz owt I wuz rite about dat, as I habs been abowt ebbryfing else.

            You are aware that paranoia and delusions of that level aren't things to be proud of, right?

            [ link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            gnudist, 6 Jun 2013 @ 6:30pm

            Re: Re: Re: Re: So, turnz owt I wuz rite about dat, as I habs been abowt ebbryfing else.

            First off, The "shilling" mentioned in the oracle case WAS the sky is rising report WHICH Mike had already disclosed.

            Second, being paid by someone does not mean you have to be a mouthpiece for them and it's entirlely possible to only accept payment for speaking if it does not contradict your own beliefs.

            If you were an honest person(or paid attention) you'd note mike's views are the same as before there even was a google to speak of.

            [ link to this | view in chronology ]

            • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
              identicon
              Anonymous Coward, 6 Jun 2013 @ 6:39pm

              Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: So, turnz owt I wuz rite about dat, as I habs been abowt ebbryfing else.

              If you were an honest person(or paid attention) you'd note mike's views are the same as before there even was a google to speak of.

              Yes. And his blind devotion to his paymasters continued on and on as Google increasingly spied, violated privacy and abused its monopoly position. I guess that its acknowledged role as information gatherer-in-chief for the NSA finally ended his public adoration (and payments).

              [ link to this | view in chronology ]

              • identicon
                gnudist, 6 Jun 2013 @ 6:47pm

                Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: So, turnz owt I wuz rite about dat, as I habs been abowt ebbryfing else.

                The fact articles on google are not uniformly pro-google kind of blows the narritive you've cooked up out of the water.

                [ link to this | view in chronology ]

              • icon
                Rapnel (profile), 6 Jun 2013 @ 7:22pm

                Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: So, turnz owt I wuz rite about dat, as I habs been abowt ebbryfing else.

                And your imagined rivalry with Mr. Masnick is fucking pathetic. "You" are fucking pathetic.

                [ link to this | view in chronology ]

                • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
                  identicon
                  Anonymous Coward, 6 Jun 2013 @ 8:00pm

                  Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: So, turnz owt I wuz rite about dat, as I habs been abowt ebbryfing else.

                  +1 head pat for you too, lickspittle.

                  [ link to this | view in chronology ]

                  • icon
                    Rapnel (profile), 6 Jun 2013 @ 8:30pm

                    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: So, turnz owt I wuz rite about dat, as I habs been abowt ebbryfing else.

                    Oh, and you're brilliant too. How very quaint.

                    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

              • identicon
                Anonymous Coward, 6 Jun 2013 @ 9:19pm

                Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: So, turnz owt I wuz rite about dat, as I habs been abowt ebbryfing else.

                You must be pretty damn new here if you think "Mike == Google shill" has any merit. Let me guess, you read trash like Lowery?

                [ link to this | view in chronology ]

          • icon
            silverscarcat (profile), 6 Jun 2013 @ 7:59pm

            Re: Re: Re: Re: So, turnz owt I wuz rite about dat, as I habs been abowt ebbryfing else.

            Since when does Mike shill for Google?

            [ link to this | view in chronology ]

            • icon
              btrussell (profile), 7 Jun 2013 @ 1:27am

              Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: So, turnz owt I wuz rite about dat, as I habs been abowt ebbryfing else.

              I believe it was just after the first world war.

              [ link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Anonymous Coward, 7 Jun 2013 @ 8:03am

            Re: Re: Re: Re: So, turnz owt I wuz rite about dat, as I habs been abowt ebbryfing else.

            Google didn't name any shills in the Oracle litigation and were pretty clear about that. Maybe you should reread the pleadings.

            [ link to this | view in chronology ]

            • icon
              That One Guy (profile), 9 Jun 2013 @ 8:05am

              Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: So, turnz owt I wuz rite about dat, as I habs been abowt ebbryfing else.

              Well if you stretch(extremely) the definition of 'shill' to 'anyone who provides coverage of, or commentary on, a company's actions', then Mike would indeed have been proven to be a shill for google in the oracle case.

              Of course by that same logic blue, AJ, bob, and any of the other trolls would count as shills for 'Big Mike', as they regularly comment on his actions and beliefs(both real and imaginary) on this site themselves.

              [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 6 Jun 2013 @ 6:24pm

        Re: Re: So, turnz owt I wuz rite about dat, as I habs been abowt ebbryfing else.

        Have you just not been here every time Mike criticises google or are you intentionally ignoring that?

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      BearGriz72 (profile), 7 Jun 2013 @ 2:46pm

      This just in: Out_of_His_A$$ Proves he is a moron!

      WTF? Seriously?
      "Seriously, do you regard this as NEWS? I see that at least "BearGriz72" reads my posts (and thanks for the advance publicity, you embiggen my effect here, ankle-biter)..."
      1) Of course this is news
           1a: a report of recent events
                {...snip...}
           2a: material reported in a newspaper or news periodical or on a newscast
           2b: matter that is newsworthy

      2) Enclosing my handle in quotes? Implying that it not linked to an actual identity, really?
           My name is Rick, the handle I have been consistently using on the internet since the mid 1990's (Damn near 20 years) is BearGriz72. If you had even bothered to look at my profile, you would see that it links to my Google profile (I know you think Google is evil, I don't, get over it), my twitter account, and even my LinkedIn profile (with my full name and a ton of information about me). Unlike you, who can't even be bothered to register a profile name (there is no requirement to link it to a real identity, I just choose to), and then you complain when people impersonate you (and even register the name you have been using).

      3) RE: "ankle-biter" -- FUCK YOU BLUE.
           I did not & do not post ANYTHING for your benefit, you are a troll, plain and simple, and we will all be better off if/when you give up and go away.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 6 Jun 2013 @ 4:48pm

    On the Bright Side

    Whenever I can't find my truck keys or the TV remote I just call NSA...

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 6 Jun 2013 @ 5:03pm

    Microsoft was the first one to agree with this program. And the nerve on them to still do the "Scroogle" campaign. Unbelievable.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    wolfy, 6 Jun 2013 @ 5:13pm

    When Congress was after the White House e-mails for one of the many wrong-doings of that administration, and the White House claimed they were "accidentally" erased, I kept saying that all Congress need do if they really wanted that evidence, would be to subpoena the NSA. I've been maintaining they have copies of all cell phone convos and e-mails sent for about the last ten years.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 6 Jun 2013 @ 8:42pm

      Re:

      They have these copies for normal citizens. Politicians, lobbyists, etc. are above the law

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 6 Jun 2013 @ 5:37pm

    Immunity for privacy violations

    "PRISM was launched from the ashes of President George W. Bush’s secret program of warrantless domestic surveillance in 2007, after news media disclosures, lawsuits and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court forced the president to look for new authority.

    Congress obliged with the Protect America Act in 2007 and the FISA Amendments Act of 2008, which immunized private companies that cooperated voluntarily with U.S. intelligence collection."


    This is why CISPA is so dangerous. It aims to accomplish the same thing for domestic surveillance as the above laws did for surveillance of foreign citizens.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 6 Jun 2013 @ 5:38pm

    This is why our economy sucks

    The rest of the world does not want to do business with American companies because their private data will be taken by the US Government.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Violated (profile), 6 Jun 2013 @ 6:24pm

      Re: This is why our economy sucks

      I have been saying that one for years myself when use any US service and you can be tracked.

      Hopefully this will be a wake-up call where people abandon silicon valley companies in droves.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous, 6 Jun 2013 @ 8:11pm

        Re: Re: This is why our economy sucks

        Just got through watching a movie called "Track Down". Pretty good flick. Picked it up today for $2.00.

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    51stState, 6 Jun 2013 @ 6:51pm

    not trying, doing?

    The technology companies, which participate knowingly in PRISM operations

    How about the companies that participate unknowingly?

    the NSA is capable of pulling out anything it likes, but under current rules the agency does not try to collect it all.

    Collecting it all would be easier than trying to exclude the cat gifs.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    51stState, 6 Jun 2013 @ 7:05pm

    NSA gagged

    If the NSA sends itself a National Security Letter, surely they have to lie to the Senate Intelligence Committee?

    Avoiding effective oversight would be a whole lot simpler if the NSA just issued the committee with a National Security Letter, thereby limiting their questions.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 6 Jun 2013 @ 7:07pm

    NSA, FBI secretly mining data from Internet firms...
    'THEY QUITE LITERALLY CAN WATCH YOUR IDEAS AS YOU TYPE'...
    Top secret PRISM program...
    MICROSOFTYAHOOGOOGLEYOUTUBEFACEBOOKSKYPEAPPLE...
    Obama administration collecting phone records of millions daily...
    Secret court order requires VERIZON to hand over ALL CALL DATA...
    White House: Critical tool against 'terrorist threats'...
    Specifically targeted Americans, not foreigners...
    'Homeland Security': Laptops, phones can be searched based on hunches...
    NSA SEES ALL: Phone Sex, Banks, Emails...
    CIA: We'll Spy on You Through Your Dishwasher...
    '1984' Published 64 Years Ago Today...

    Now you know why we who support the second amendment do so so adamantly.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Justin (profile), 6 Jun 2013 @ 7:09pm

    All of a sudden the guy sitting in the corner, wearing a tin foil hat doesn't look quite as crazy anymore.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Jay (profile), 7 Jun 2013 @ 8:39am

      Re:

      He wasn't. His name was William Binney, Bradley Manning, John Kiriakou...

      They warned us along with other whistleblowers and they were punished harshly for telling the truth.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 6 Jun 2013 @ 7:25pm

    Did Intelligence Officials Lie to Congress?

    “[UPDATED] Did Intelligence Officials Lie to Congress about NSA Domestic Spying?”, by Sean Lawson, Forbes, June 6, 2013
    In July 2011, Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Mark Udall (D-CO) sent a letter to the NSA asking for answers about its collection of data on American citizens. The NSA’s response read, in part,
    You asked whether communications of Americans have been collected… Section 702 of the FAA [FISA Amendments Act] explicitly prohibits the intentional targeting of persons reasonably believed to be located in the United States or United States persons located abroad. The Intelligence Community has put in place a variety of procedures, which have been approved by the FISA Court as required by law, to ensure that only persons reasonably believed to be located outside the United States are targeted and to prevent the intentional acquisition of any communications as to which the sender and all intended recipients are known to be located in the United States. Guidelines are also required by law to ensure compliance with other limitations on FAA collection, including the requirement that a U.S. person may not be intentionally targeted under section 702. If it is discovered that a target has entered the U.S. or is a U.S. person, he or she is promptly detargeted and reports are made as appropriate to the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and the FISA Court. Moreover, when communications from persons located in the United States are collected because they are communicating with a lawful target, the privacy and civil liberty rights of U.S. persons are protected through the careful implementation of the procedures required under the FAA to ’minimize the acquisition and retention, and prohibit the dissemination“ of information about U.S. persons.’”

    (Emphasis is from cited story; not in original letter.)

    Did that response intentionally misstate the facts?

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    That Anonymous Coward (profile), 6 Jun 2013 @ 8:11pm

    We live in a police state.
    To be secure we have tacitly approved them stripping away our rights and leaving only the illusion of them behind.

    We are all to busy screaming about abortion, guns rights, terrorism, etc. to bother to notice. It is time to call your congress critter and ask them why this is acceptable. Then inform them they will be replaced unless they act to stop it.

    We have gone through the looking glass, this is wholesale spying on Americans and they must be doing a piss poor job as they were unable to catch those banks helping terrorists hide their money.

    This is not freedom, this is not democracy, this is insanity.
    We have so many freedoms here...
    The freedom to not hear about the government breaking the law, because they go after the whistle blowers.
    The freedom to not share a private thought with another, without it being checked to see if it looks 51% like your a terrorist.
    The freedom to have our personal document searched and seized at the border in constitution free zones that are pushing in on the country.
    The freedom to protest, but only in designated zones where you will be photographed and placed under surveillance.
    The freedom to fund a program that wastes money and exposed people to unknown amounts of radiation so some people hired form the tops of pizza boxes could see us naked.

    9/11 was a horrible thing... but it fucking pales in comparison to the horrific dismantling of our rights and freedoms.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 7 Jun 2013 @ 2:59am

      Re:

      9/11 was a horrible thing... but it fucking pales in comparison to the horrific dismantling of our rights and freedoms.

      Makes you wonder if those 911 was a inside job conspiracy theories are true, shit now the NSA will be looking at my communications in more detail.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Rapnel (profile), 6 Jun 2013 @ 8:26pm

    Now?

    If ever there were a time to foment an rebellion it is now. An American Spring.

    Every single one of you that took the oath to the Constitution - your oath demands your allegiance. There is no other precedent and there is no other law that supersedes the core text of that document. It is your superior.

    If the Declaration of Independence is your king then your queen is surely the Constitution. Only their subjects can defend their reign. There is no heir. There are brigands and mercenaries embedded. Secrecy and deceit abrogate your rights.

    If you find yourself on the floor of the Senate and hold your tongues in the face of treachery then you are treasonous, indeed. You hold your tongues to protect yourselves from jail? You have risked the freedoms and rights of all that you represent yet you are beholden to a cabal of secrecy that can not be reigned in, challenged nor tried?

    There is no safety among traitors as there is no honor among thieves.

    Do you truly believe that WE are so weak and that WE are in peril? Make your case! The King's subjects will not be idled. Terror will never reign and The Freedoms are not for sale.

    It is not a fine line that we walk. It is not a delicate balance. The babe that you deign to cradle does not cry.

    Arm yourselves. Mind your tongues. Your government deceives you. Your country requires you.

    Soon, all of you, must, inevitably, represent yourselves. Long live the king.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Pragmatic, 7 Jun 2013 @ 3:43am

      Re: Now?

      Yeah... good luck with that. Extremists on both sides have so divided us that if there was to be a revolution we'd be too busy fighting each other to take on the real enemy.

      Come the next election, don't vote for the Big Two unless the candidate is proven to have stood against this crap.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    aldestrawk (profile), 6 Jun 2013 @ 9:28pm

    the naming of things

    Prism is a colorful euphemism for siphoning off private information and communications directly from company servers. I would prefer the name "vampire tap" which also has the basic meaning of creating a branch off a communications network for those old-timers who remember the yellow coaxial cables for Ethernet. It also has the more truthful connotation of sucking the lifeblood from the American people. Then again, maybe the younger crowd, who seem to idolize vampires, wouldn't mind.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 6 Jun 2013 @ 11:19pm

    Microsoft

    Now you all know why Microsoft wants an always connected xbox one with cameras.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 6 Jun 2013 @ 11:28pm

    It's nothing to worry about, just be sure this mysterious computer program doesn't key you in with it's 51% confidence interval as being "too foreign".

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 7 Jun 2013 @ 8:22am

    "The PRISM program is not a dragnet, exactly. From inside a company’s data stream the NSA is capable of pulling out anything it likes, but under current rules the agency DOES NOT TRY TO COLLECT IT ALL."

    -But they do right?? I mean since when did the government care about rules? Rules are only for common folks like us, are they releasing this supposedly 7-year-old news to divert us from their IRS fiasco?

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Geblorg, 9 Jun 2013 @ 9:45pm

    Welcome to the biggest police state ever

    ...paid for by taxpayer money (I could think of so many better ways to blow a few hundred million dollars!)

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Ramona, 11 Jun 2013 @ 9:46pm

    contacted by two generals in one day on skype

    well you tell me why I was contacted today by two generals after posting on my skype account jajajaja spies are everywhere! Is that just some kind of weird fluke, or are there Generals who (both happen to be my age) running around trying to find a date? I found this extremely weird, especially since I have made it quite clear that I do believe we are being spied on. They might need a warrant to pursue a person AFTER they figure out someone is bad, but meanwhile I really truly believe they are listening and reading our emails etc, and do not care if you have to have a warrant or not. That is what they were all haranguing about today, that no way they listen or read our emails. That they HAVE to have a warrant, but I know that is a bunch of malarkey. Anyhow I thought it really strange. I am wondering if it is possible to impersonate someone on skype? take care thanks Ramona Ray

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]


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