'Restore The 4th' Anti-NSA Activists 'Adopt' The Highway Right Outside NSA's New Utah Datacenter

from the nicely-done dept

Thu, Oct 10th 2013 8:08pm — Mike Masnick

We've written about the "Restore the 4th" activist effort to curtail NSA surveillance and "restore" the 4th Amendment a few times. Apparently, the local Restore the 4th group in Utah came up with a hilarious way to get their point across in that state: they "adopted" the highway that runs right by the NSA's infamous new datacenter in Bluffdale Utah.

An organization opposed to surveillance by the National Security Agency has been approved to "adopt" the section of highway running past the Utah Data Center, a move that would place the group’s protest-oriented name on signs outside the spy building.

Restore The Fourth-Utah would also be responsible for picking up litter on the 2-mile stretch of Redwood Road that includes the main entrance to the Utah Data Center and Camp Williams.

Of course, the group sees the task of "picking up litter" as a good opportunity to combine picking up litter with protesting the data center, saying that as they pick up litter, they'll also carry picket signs. The Utah Department of Transportation had a spokesperson give a "please keep us out of this" statement to the press:

"As long as [Restore The Fourth-Utah is] following safety protocol," Gleason said, "we’re happy there are people applying to keep litter off the roads out there."

As for the NSA? Well, that organization gave an even wackier response:

When asked for comment, NSA spokeswoman Vanee Vines replied in an email: "Highway adoptions are not a part of NSA’s federal mission."

Nor is spying on Americans, but you know, you do that too...

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Filed Under: 4th amendment, adopt a highway, bluffdale, nsa, protest, restore the 4th, utah

14 Comments

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Reader Comments

The First Word

“

"Highway adoptions are not a part of NSA�s federal mission."

Then leave the information superhighways alone.

—Anonymous Coward

”

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Chris Mikaitis (profile), 10 Oct 2013 @ 8:59pm

Opportunity is knocking
They should set up their own license plate scanners. It's only fair.
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- That One Guy (profile), 11 Oct 2013 @ 1:13am
  
  And much laughter would be had by all
  That could be funny, set up either people in shifts, or something to automatically take pictures of everyone who enters or leaves the facility, and then watch the NSA start complaining about how such 'intrusive actions' violate their privacy.
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- Anonymous Coward, 11 Oct 2013 @ 2:07pm
  
  Re: Opportunity is knocking
  Cameras too.
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Pixelation, 10 Oct 2013 @ 10:40pm

Win-win
The NSA will have an easier time keeping tabs on this obvious terror group.
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- silverscarcat (profile), 11 Oct 2013 @ 4:31am
  
  Re: Win-win
  Indeed, after all, anyone who goes to the data center is a traitor to the U.S.
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toyotabedzrock (profile), 11 Oct 2013 @ 12:16am

That is just priceless.
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Paul keating (profile), 11 Oct 2013 @ 2:10am

NSA LITTER
Who knows what type of "litter" they might come across. One must not assume that NSA employees are any more careful with physical files as they have apparently been with the electronic variety...
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- Ninja (profile), 11 Oct 2013 @ 6:02am
  
  Re: NSA LITTER
  Who knows what type of "litter" they might come across.
  
  I suspect they'll find quite the variety such as but not limited to:
  
  - James Clapper type
  - Alexander Keith type
  - Mike Rogers type
  - Dianne Feinstein type
  
  You know, this type of annoying, damaging litter. They have a lot of cleanup to do ;)
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- Josh in CharlotteNC (profile), 11 Oct 2013 @ 6:29am
  
  Re: NSA LITTER
  I consider that entire data center a piece of trash that needs to get thrown away. Perhaps they can pick it up and send it to the landfill.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 11 Oct 2013 @ 9:36am
    
    Re: Re: NSA LITTER
    Nah, just re-purposed for actual benefit to the public that paid for it in the first place.
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Anonymous Coward, 11 Oct 2013 @ 2:42am

We all know what the NSA's mission is.
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Anonymous Coward, 11 Oct 2013 @ 2:45am

"Highway adoptions are not a part of NSA�s federal mission."

Then leave the information superhighways alone.
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Anonymous Coward, 11 Oct 2013 @ 9:34am

Now...
They just need to find a billboard they can buy on that same stretch of highway and crowdsource a effort to buy it.
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Sullivan, 11 Oct 2013 @ 10:33am

Great way to multitask. Killing two birds with one stone, so to speak.
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