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

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/06/us-tech-giants-nsa-data


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

? Top secret PRISM program claims direct access to servers of firms including Google, Facebook and Apple
? Companies deny any knowledge of program in operation since 2007

Glenn Greenwald and Ewen MacAskill
The Guardian, Thursday 6 June 2013 23.05 BST

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 officials 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 ? classified as top secret with no distribution to foreign allies ? 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...

 

[sharon sanders]

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

We have been advising for years not to post anything on the internet that you do not want published on the front page of the New York Times, for instance.

It has been clear that the US government and other governments have been accessing phone and electronic communications for many years.

Recently the US Supreme Court ruled that police can use a mouth swab to obtain a person's DNA upon arrest.

Frankly, we have lost our liberties. If the government can access all of our communications and take our DNA without permission or court order, we live in a open prison.

 

[gsgs]

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

it should be possible to encrypt emails on default, easily,
so that you won't even notice and send and read
them just as before.

You might want to avoid US-software.
Are there trustworthy operating systems, browsers ?

Also, why isn't an antivirus,antispyware program automatically
included in the operation system and browser

I'd also like search engines, where you can search for
sites without copyright and/or ads only

and my own encrypted operating system, that noone
except me has the code from (--> no virus)

and all passwords should be created and remembered automatically

and no terms and conditions, please

and

 

[Catbird]

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

we have been advising for years not to post anything on the internet that you do not want published on the front page of the new york times, for instance.

It has been clear that the us government and other governments have been accessing phone and electronic communications for many years.

Recently the us supreme court ruled that police can use a mouth swab to obtain a person's dna upon arrest.

Frankly, we have lost our liberties. If the government can access all of our communications and take our dna without permission or court order, we live in a open prison.

^^this^^

 

[sharon sanders]

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

06/06/2013


The NSA Surveillance Order, Explained by the ACLU
By Alexander Abdo, Staff Attorney, ACLU National Security Project at 5:58pm

The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court order released yesterday by The Guardian reveals that the U.S. government is regularly tracking the phone calls of potentially millions of Americans.

ACLU attorneys have been monitoring the U.S. government?s use of the Patriot Act for years, and this document confirms our biggest fears. Have a look at the notes we?ve made on the court order to see how we understand what it says about the powers the government claims. (Just click on the document below and hover on the red dots to see our comments. This embed will serve content from thinglink.com.)

more...

http://www.aclu.org/blog/national-security/nsa-surveillance-order-explained-aclu

 

[Emily]

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

FBI taps cell phone mic as eavesdropping tool

Court to FBI: No spying on in-car computers

(But that order only applied to the 9th Circuit's jurisdiction at the time. It may still be 'legal' elsewhere.)

 

[sharon sanders]

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

The US administration came out yesterday and made excuses for the level of surveillance. The reason given is that we must trade some of our privacy for safety from terrorism.

This is brain washing.

They are trying to make a silk purse out of a pig's ear.

 

[sharon sanders]

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

This abuse of the Patriot Act must end
President Obama falsely claims Congress authorised all NSA surveillance. In fact, our law was designed to protect liberties

Jim Sensenbrenner
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 9 June 2013


snip

Last week, the Guardian reported that the Obama administration is collecting records of every call made to, from or within the US, as well as records of many digital communications. President Obama has tried to deflect criticism by claiming "every member of Congress has been briefed on this program." While some members of Congress were briefed ? particularly those on the intelligence committees ? most, including myself, were not.

The administration claims authority to sift through details of our private lives because the Patriot Act says that it can. I disagree. I authored the Patriot Act, and this is an abuse of that law.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jun/09/abuse-patriot-act-must-end

 

[sharon sanders]

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

Apparently the whistleblower fled to Hong Kong China. Isn't THAT ironic!

Has the United States become the type of nation from which you have to seek asylum?
By Timothy B. Lee, Published: June 9, 2013 at 3:23 pmE-mail the writer
The whistleblower who disclosed classified documents regarding NSA surveillance to The Washington Post and the Guardian has gone public. He is Edward Snowden, 29, an employee of defense contractor Booz Allen Hamilton.

more...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...of-nation-from-which-you-have-to-seek-asylum/

 

[sharon sanders]

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

Daily Show Takes On NSA Surveillance: It's A Little Weird That Feds Didn't Have To Break Any Laws To Spy On Everyone

from the making-the-point-nicely dept
John Oliver has temporarily taken over The Daily Show's host chair while Jon Stewart is off making a movie, and the NSA has given him a fair bit of material to kick off with. In last night's episode, he did a fantastic job highlighting just how ridiculous the position is of those who defend the NSA, saying:

"I think you're misunderstanding the perceived problem here, Mr. President. No one is saying you broke any laws. We're just saying it's a little bit weird that you didn't have to."

more...

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20...e.shtml?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

 

[sharon sanders]

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

US: Urgent Need for Surveillance Reforms
Ensure Oversight and Effective Safeguards for Privacy, Free Speech

JUNE 11, 2013


(New York) ? Recent revelations about the scope of US national security surveillance highlight how dramatic increases in private digital communications and government computing power are fueling surveillance practices that impinge on privacy in ways unimaginable just a few years ago. There is an urgent need for the US Congress to reevaluate and rewrite surveillance laws in light of those technological developments and put in place better safeguards against security agency overreach.


more..

http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/06/11/us-urgent-need-surveillance-reforms

 

[AnnaLisa]

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

I wish your comments had a 'like' button. I agree with your assessment of this situation.

"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." Benjamin Franklin

 

[sharon sanders]

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

NSA Director General Alexander in 2012: "We don't hold data on U.S. citizens."

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/clip/4455569

 

[Vibrant62]

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

There is a Facebook poster doing the rounds with a photo of Edward Snowdon and a caption that says:-

This is Edward Snowdon. He gave up a $200,000 a year salary and his freedom so that you could know that the NSA is spying on you. He fought for your privacy rights and didn't ask for anything in return.

I just thought that as the political furore builds over this with many in power out for his extradition etc. the points made above are worth remembering.

I think that the time has come for pressure for a global right to privacy act; sadly some countries with a strong censorship will never sign up to it, but that does not mean it should not be done.