The National Security Agency and FBI have been engaging in a highly classified program that mines data from leading U.S. internet companies, according to a bombshell report in The Washington Post Thursday night.
The program is code-named PRISM, and the Post reports that it was established in 2007. According to the report, the nine companies that "participate knowingly" in the program are Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, Facebook, PalTalk, AOL, Skype, YouTube, Apple.
The NSA and FBI tap directly into the central servers of the companies. It allows the agencies to obtain audio, video, photographs, emails, documents and connection logs that "enable analysts to track a person’s movements and contacts over time."
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/prism-spying-program-nsa-fbi-mine-data-yahoo-facebook-google-2013-6#ixzz2VTlAhQPT
If this was done with the approval of a FISA judge, it is perfectly legal under the Patriot Act.However, it is constitutionally questionable, depending on how you interpret the Fourth Amendment protections from search and seizure.
However, it is constitutionally questionable, depending on how you interpret the Fourth Amendment protections from search and seizure.
If this was done with the approval of a FISA judge, it is perfectly legal under the Patriot Act.
the acquisition of the contents of communications transmitted by means of communications used exclusively between or among foreign powers, as defined in section 1801 (a)(1), (2), or (3) of this title; or
(ii) the acquisition of technical intelligence, other than the spoken communications of individuals, from property or premises under the open and exclusive control of a foreign power, as defined in section 1801 (a)(1), (2), or (3) of this title;
there is no substantial likelihood that the surveillance will acquire the contents of any communication to which a United States person is a party
It has already been contested. The Supreme Court has given wide latitude to electronic surveillance when it comes to tracking terrorism.
I'm all for changing the Patriot Act. I don't trust the Obama administration. I don't trust any administration, really, to pry into personal information.
The SCOTUS FISCR Ruling of August 2008 specifically addressed the foreign wiretapping under Bush that was at issue. This does fall under FISA rules I stated in the previous post but is not germane in this situation in which it is all domestic and violates 1802 clause B.
Then file a lawsuit. Even Andy McCarthy of National Review, who despises Obama, says that these metadata gathering methods are pefectly legal.
Question: I was under the impression that the NSA's mission is solely in the FOREIGN arena --not domestic? Guess I'm just stoopid, or maybe we've been lied to. :thud:
You are correct. See above for the laws governing FISA. It is strictly foreign.
Should have read the posts more closely than I did, obviously.
Another question, if the NSA is so good at this, why were the bombings in Boston not detected before hand....or Nidal Hasan before he snuffed out our troops? Sounds like they must be still working on processing torrents successfully.
Thanks for the reminder that the 64th anniversary of the publication of George Orwell's 1984 is Saturday.