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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsNew Disclosure: Tech Firms turn over thousands of customer records to NSA
Tens of thousands of accounts associated with customers of Microsoft, Google, Facebook and Yahoo have their data turned over to US government authorities every six months as the result of secret court orders, the tech giants disclosed for the first time on Monday.
As part of a transparency deal reached last week with the Justice Department, four of the tech firms that participate in the National Security Agencys Prism effort, which collects largely overseas internet communications, released more information about the volume of data the US demands they provide than they have ever previously been permitted to disclose.
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Yahoo disclosed that it gave the government communications content from between 30,000 and 30,999 accounts over the first six months of 2013, and fewer than 1,000 customer accounts that were subject to Fisa court orders for metadata.
Facebook disclosed that during the first half of 2013, it turned over content data from between 5000 and 5999 accounts a rise of about 1000 from the previous six month period and customer metadata associated with up to 999 accounts.
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http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/03/microsoft-facebook-google-yahoo-fisa-surveillance-requests
MannyGoldstein
(34,589 posts)them to say?
One of the problems with secret laws and secret courts is that we can never know when we're being told the truth. And the track record here isn't good.
cali
(114,904 posts)Now for the defender/adorers.
MannyGoldstein
(34,589 posts)Snowden suxx!!!
jsr
(7,712 posts)bobduca
(1,763 posts)Homophobic smears are kewl and ROFL-y if they come from a place of blind hyperpartisanship!
frylock
(34,825 posts)Aerows
(39,961 posts)and I'm pretty much aware of what is and is not homophobia, could you explain the homophobia to a gay person like me? Unicorns shitting rainbows doesn't exactly strike me as homophobic, more like the "you wanted a pony" type of response to criticism, but hey, I could be wrong.
GoneFishin
(5,217 posts)cali
(114,904 posts)(and yes, I know you were being sarcastic, just wanted to point out that that adorer/defender tactic is bullshit)
cali
(114,904 posts)Autumn
(45,120 posts)This is seriously fucking wrong.
cali
(114,904 posts)it's a reflection of a sick, sick mentality.
Demo_Chris
(6,234 posts)cali
(114,904 posts)Where are all the adoring defenders? hmm.
randome
(34,845 posts)If you want to argue that we don't KNOW they were legal warrants, well, Google, Microsoft, etc. are not denying it. I would also point out that the targets of these warrants are likely suspects in an investigation and we don't expect the government to telegraph the scope of an investigation while it is ongoing.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]You have to play the game to find out why you're playing the game. -Existenz[/center][/font][hr]
cali
(114,904 posts)And are you actually suggesting that all of these are likely suspects?
Since our Constitution does not apply to the world, the NSA takes a much broader approach to gathering data on suspects. That doesn't mean it's right, that doesn't mean it's even productive. But comparing legal warrants to Nazi crimes is hyperbole.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Everything is a satellite to some other thing.[/center][/font][hr]
cali
(114,904 posts)Segregation was legal. Feel better?
randome
(34,845 posts)But face facts. There are not enough people who give a damn about the NSA spying outside our borders. No organized protests, not much media outrage lately, either. It's pretty much run its course and now the reform proposals are getting underway.
Compare the NSA's international spying to people trying to pay their mortgage or find a better job or pay off that onerous student loan and you can see why this topic doesn't resonate with most other than an off-hand, "Sure, they should rein them in."
[hr][font color="blue"][center]No squirrels were harmed in the making of this post. Yet.[/center][/font][hr]
Demo_Chris
(6,234 posts)The information gathered secretly, and without warrant or due process.
randome
(34,845 posts)So long as we have laws and regulations in place and there is no evidence of them being ignored, I'll put my energy to more pressing concerns.
If data is being gathered without a warrant, you'd think someone would protest. Unless the NSA is blackmailing everyone at Google, Microsoft, Apple, etc. But I think that's unlikely.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]If you're not committed to anything, you're just taking up space.
Gregory Peck, Mirage (1965)[/center][/font][hr]
bobduca
(1,763 posts)whew I thought they might be targeting USA Americans! as long as it's largely overseas, then I'm A-OK with this!
Demo_Chris
(6,234 posts)Oilwellian
(12,647 posts)They're now allowed to disclose the number of FISA warrants and FBI letters (I found that interesting, who needs a secret court?) they're given to legally turn over our data. But we know those warrants are moot since they spy on all of us without individual warrants. Do they obtain the warrant after the fact as a way to CYA when our data is shared with local law enforcement? Why even bother when the locals are encouraged to keep the illegally obtained information secret and create a parallel construction?
It is good to know that all the illegal search data, aka, DISCOVERY is available from the tech companies to prosecute anyone. It's the DUE PROCESS that's no longer being adhered to. That's a lot of people being prosecuted by illegal means.