NSA taps in to internet giants' systems to mine user data, secret files reveal

[Kevin_Kennedy]

Alan Dershowitz says "we" know the Obama administration isn't using these tools to target political opponents on Piers Morgan. He doesn't explain how "we" know this, however.

 

[Plasmaball]

Yes this is what it's all about.
You can't have the one World Government in the not so far distant future with citizens who are armed. This is why they got them out of Australia and England.
They have to have all the data and it's a worldwide collection, in order for you to get that data chip (or whatever it may be) in you, so that only those with it, can buy, sell or trade.
In the name of safety and security of course
The two countries left whose citizens that have guns are America and Israel. Switzerland restricts ammunition.

Well this was retarded.
They want the info because they want to know and power. Just the way it is. Its completely wrong but seriously dont be ******* retarded with this "teh want me guns!"

A few years ago I was called retarded because I said the government would be tracking every phone call people made.

Before that I was a conspiracy nut when I thought the government would use a terror attack to take away people's freedom.

When are the people that keep calling me retarded going to realize how utterly depraved they are?

those are reasonable opinions. Saying Obama did this to target conservatives is not. They grabbed data on everyone, everyone is affected by this. Its wrong period. We don't need to be making stupid shit up in order to show how wrong this is QW.

 

[Political Junky]

Jim Sensenbrenner, Patriot Act Author, Slams 'Un-American' NSA Verizon Phone Records Grab

Jim Sensenbrenner, Patriot Act Author, Slams 'Un-American' NSA Verizon Phone Records Grab


WASHINGTON -- Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), one of the authors of the Patriot Act, said in a Thursday letter to Attorney General Eric Holder that he is "extremely troubled" by the National Security Agency's seizure of the phone records of millions of Verizon customers through a secret court ruling.

“I do not believe the released FISA order is consistent with the requirements of the Patriot Act,” Sensenbrenner wrote. “How could the phone records of so many innocent Americans be relevant to an authorized investigation as required by the Act?”

"Seizing phone records of millions of innocent people is excessive and un-American," he added in a press release that accompanied the letter.
<more>

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

Well this was retarded.
They want the info because they want to know and power. Just the way it is. Its completely wrong but seriously dont be ******* retarded with this "teh want me guns!"

A few years ago I was called retarded because I said the government would be tracking every phone call people made.

Before that I was a conspiracy nut when I thought the government would use a terror attack to take away people's freedom.

When are the people that keep calling me retarded going to realize how utterly depraved they are?

those are reasonable opinions. Saying Obama did this to target conservatives is not. They grabbed data on everyone, everyone is affected by this. Its wrong period. We don't need to be making stupid shit up in order to show how wrong this is QW.

The point being that they could, however. And never put it past government to abuse its alleged powers.

 

[aaronleland]

Alan Dershowitz says "we" know the Obama administration isn't using these tools to target political opponents on Piers Morgan. He doesn't explain how "we" know this, however.

This is simply about government power and control. The more information they have about you, the more control they have over you. I have no reason to suspect Obama is using the information obtained to specifically target political opponents. This is targeting Americans in general. The entire thing was made easier by Republican's cries of "Well, if you have nothing to hide..." when Bush was in office.

 

[RoadVirus]

Obama...no different than Bush...

Bush never went this far.

 

[peach174]

They have been doing this for 7 years RoadVirus

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

Alan Dershowitz says "we" know the Obama administration isn't using these tools to target political opponents on Piers Morgan. He doesn't explain how "we" know this, however.

This is simply about government power and control. The more information they have about you, the more control they have over you. I have no reason to suspect Obama is using the information obtained to specifically target political opponents. This is targeting Americans in general. The entire thing was made easier by Republican's cries of "Well, if you have nothing to hide..." when Bush was in office.

You're right, and we have no evidence to suggest that this is going on. The point being made is that this could easily happen with what is going on. It's simply another reason to oppose the government having these powers in the first place, so that it doesn't happen.

 

[Plasmaball]

A few years ago I was called retarded because I said the government would be tracking every phone call people made.

Before that I was a conspiracy nut when I thought the government would use a terror attack to take away people's freedom.

When are the people that keep calling me retarded going to realize how utterly depraved they are?

those are reasonable opinions. Saying Obama did this to target conservatives is not. They grabbed data on everyone, everyone is affected by this. Its wrong period. We don't need to be making stupid shit up in order to show how wrong this is QW.

The point being that they could, however. And never put it past government to abuse its alleged powers.

they could do a lot of things, i rather not look like an absurd fool that utters every dumb thing that comes to mind.

 

[Plasmaball]

Obama...no different than Bush...

Bush never went this far.

well outside of this has been going on for 7 years, this exact thing according to the congresscritters who stated so.

The only difference is you found out now the extent to this. We already knew Bush was doing this and a judge found the wiretapping to be illegal.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

those are reasonable opinions. Saying Obama did this to target conservatives is not. They grabbed data on everyone, everyone is affected by this. Its wrong period. We don't need to be making stupid shit up in order to show how wrong this is QW.

The point being that they could, however. And never put it past government to abuse its alleged powers.

they could do a lot of things, i rather not look like an absurd fool that utters every dumb thing that comes to mind.

I'd say history is on the side of those who have argued that government will inevitably abuse a power that it has, and it is thus not absurd, foolish, or dumb to point out how easily it would be for the government to do so if allowed to continue on its present course.

 

[skye]

but Banana Hussein BO takes the cake!

 

[aaronleland]

but Banana Hussein BO takes the cake!

I would expect a complete partisan hack like yourself to thank Roadvirus's post, then make a similar one yourself, while completely ignoring the fact that it has been going on for 7 years. Double down!

 

[skye]

It's the truth... if you don't like it ... I can do nothing about it!

 

[Plasmaball]

The point being that they could, however. And never put it past government to abuse its alleged powers.

they could do a lot of things, i rather not look like an absurd fool that utters every dumb thing that comes to mind.

I'd say history is on the side of those who have argued that government will inevitably abuse a power that it has, and it is thus not absurd, foolish, or dumb to point out how easily it would be for the government to do so if allowed to continue on its present course.

We have a forum for that nonsense then, but if you are going to shout out something like that. Then expect other people to call you nuts. Also one has to take into account WHO is saying it as well.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

they could do a lot of things, i rather not look like an absurd fool that utters every dumb thing that comes to mind.

I'd say history is on the side of those who have argued that government will inevitably abuse a power that it has, and it is thus not absurd, foolish, or dumb to point out how easily it would be for the government to do so if allowed to continue on its present course.

We have a forum for that nonsense then, but if you are going to shout out something like that. Then expect other people to call you nuts. Also one has to take into account WHO is saying it as well.

Can you explain why it's nuts to point out that the government could easily abuse this power and use the information it has collected to target political opponents?

 

[Plasmaball]

I'd say history is on the side of those who have argued that government will inevitably abuse a power that it has, and it is thus not absurd, foolish, or dumb to point out how easily it would be for the government to do so if allowed to continue on its present course.

We have a forum for that nonsense then, but if you are going to shout out something like that. Then expect other people to call you nuts. Also one has to take into account WHO is saying it as well.

Can you explain why it's nuts to point out that the government could easily abuse this power and use the information it has collected to target political opponents?

because they are not going to do it, this wasnt the intention. She ony said it because Obama is in office and nothing more. Had this been Romney she never would have said it. IT was a partisan comment and nothing more.

 

[aaronleland]

It's the truth... if you don't like it ... I can do nothing about it!

Yes, the fact that it has been going on since the Bush administration is the truth. Thanks for agreeing with me.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

We have a forum for that nonsense then, but if you are going to shout out something like that. Then expect other people to call you nuts. Also one has to take into account WHO is saying it as well.

Can you explain why it's nuts to point out that the government could easily abuse this power and use the information it has collected to target political opponents?

because they are not going to do it, this wasnt the intention. She ony said it because Obama is in office and nothing more. Had this been Romney she never would have said it. IT was a partisan comment and nothing more.

How do you know they're not going to do it, and it wasn't the intention? Are you privy to the inner workings of the Obama administration? Regardless, let's assume you're right. Obama has no intention of doing that and it's merely wild speculation on the part of partisans. What about the next administration? Or the one after that? Can you guarantee what they're going to do? Of course not. That's why it's important to point out that this program is perfectly situated for this type of abuse, and even if the present administration doesn't do it then there's no guarantee that a future administration won't.

 

[oreo]

The National Security Agency has obtained direct access to the systems of Google, Facebook, Apple and other US internet giants, according to a top secret document obtained by the Guardian.

The NSA access is part of a previously undisclosed program called PRISM, which allows them to collect material including search history, the content of emails, file transfers and live chats, the document says.

The Guardian has verified the authenticity of the document, a 41-slide Powerpoint presentation &#8211; classified as top secret with no distribution to foreign allies &#8211; which was apparently used to train intelligence operatives on the capabilities of the program. The document claims "collection directly from the servers" of major US service providers.

Although the presentation claims the program is run with the assistance of the companies, all those who responded to a Guardian request for comment on Thursday denied knowledge of any such program.

NSA has direct access to tech giants' systems for user data, secret files reveal | World news | guardian.co.uk

What exactly the program is and does:

The PRISM program allows the NSA, the world's largest surveillance organisation, to obtain targeted communications without having to request them from the service providers and without having to obtain individual court orders.

With this program, the NSA is able to reach directly into the servers of the participating companies and obtain both stored communications as well as perform real-time collection on targeted users.

The hits just keep coming. It's one thing to understand that you have no privacy thanks to the government, but it's another to have it confirmed in such a way. Of course, it goes without saying that this is all unconstitutional, but that's never stopped anybody before.

Personally, I find this more worrisome than them mining our phone call data, but it's the same principle I suppose.

As we have seen over decades-the only thing Government is good at is growing. Now through the internet--they have acquired access into our daily lives and conversations through e-mail and social outlets such as Face book--Twitter and other sources. While the U.S. Constitution is there to protect our privacy--we find that there is no border when it comes to the government crossing those borders.