The other shoe drops
Or.... the shit hits the fan? The suspicions of a huge, centralized database of -- no, not international calls with suspected al Qaeda terrorists -- but your parents, your neighbors, YOU.
Wired News: Report: U.S. Spies on Everyone
USA Today: NSA has massive database of Americans' phone calls
A few here have suggested that maybe we need to do this sort of data mining to stay ahead of terrorist attacks. Me? I don't want the NSA, especially under the strongarm of this administration, tracking who I talk to or what I'm doing. I have a hunch most Americans feel the same way.
The government can't even do a competent job protecting us via traditional routes - why would I trust them with a massive invasion of privacy?
posted by Chuck Olsen @ 2:00 PM |
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11 Comments:
Is anyone else perplexed to notice that USA Today broke this story?
Supposedly at least 12 members of Congress (including newly outraged Pelosi) were briefed on this phone-data mining many months ago, but didn't raise a fuss at all. Inside the beltway, spines wave the way the wind's blowing...
Interesting to see that my sturdy midwestern phone company, Qwest, is as far as I can tell the only one to refuse to release this data to the NSA.
My respect for Joe Nacchio -- in every other respect a terrible CEO -- goes up a notch.
It makes a person wonder exactly WHY they would be doing this, at OUR expense none the less. Shouldn't the NSA be focusing on areas such as, Oh I don't know, NATIONAL SECURITY which in most cases has exactly no relation to whom I or my parents and friends are calling.
Don't kid yourselves. Qworst can't release it because they don't have it. Only competent carrriers gather this info.
This is how traffic analysis is done. (Sizing trunks and switches, locating COs etc.) How else would they do capacity planning?
This is simply looking thru info that is already collected and available. Its the sort of intel gathering the state dept usually handles. (Overt sources, like reading the local papers for mention of upcoming exercises.)
Just more Bush bashing. Another non-story.
-Censored
Besides the NY Times broke this "story" back in December and it was not an issue until the director of NSA is up for the CIA post.
The whole purpose of this program is to look for patterns that relate to actual terrorist events. Something like a bunch of calls went to a number in the middle east then stopped the next day a cowardly terrorist attack occurs. Would you not want to know about that if your job is to track down the criminal terrorist.
Also this is no different that current law enforcement writting down each address you sent mail to.
Dave
And how is this different than the anal rape of information I must go through in order to keep some of my money from the goverment each spring. The IRS has WAY WAY more information than a few phone numbers I have been calling.
DAve
Dave, there is new information here if you're paying attention. Gathering detailed info about millions of domestic calls - that was not disclosed before. In fact, the opposite is true and we were lied to again. You really don't care about that, do you?
Can you really see no difference between doing your taxes and having your phone calls secretly assimilated into (possibly) the largest database ever created?
For people who blindly think this administration can do no wrong, I have no time to waste.
Heh I wonder if censored will pause from vainly typing "Just more Bush-bashing. Another non-story." over and over in order to toss out some life preservers to Bush's sad administration as it capsizes and then sinks.
Just more Bush bashing. Another non-story.
Just more Bush bashing. Another non-story.
Just more Bush bashing. Another non-story.
*explode*
-ReCensored
The phone records information was published by the Times back in december in a follow on story to the terrorist phone call monitoring story.
Lets compare what the tax man gets for information verses what happens to my phone number. Phone number, stipped of any identifying information (yes, one could go back and relink) which is then used to follow some basic connections. You remember connection not being linked don't you it was the primary reason Mohammed ATTA and friends where able to complete thier mission. Now lets compare what happens with ALL of my finincial information. I talk to the bank to get a car loan, get them my SS number The run checks on my credit worthyness and all is shared with the goverment. I go to the dealer to by the car, since I did not finaince via the dealer he sends the information along to the goverment. Each bank account and other finiacial instuments are dutifully reported goverment. Each year I must then gather all that information into several documents and then justify why I want to keep MY money. If I make one innocent mistake I may face Jail or massive fines for my honest efforts and errors when dealing with a 75,000 page tax code. All of this is just a small tip of the iceberg.
What I should worry that the goverment is using my phone number without identifying who owns it to help track terrorist who would want to harm my and my family if I do not want to roll back to the 13th century and convert to islam. I don't think so.
Dave
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