Report: U.S. spy agencies mined Internet data

Although it's under their watch, don't think this one or the Verizon phone records monitoring are really the fault of the Obama administration. The Patriot Act is finally coming home to roost, as most civil liberties experts knew it would. You give a government agency an inch and it'll take a mile. The Patriot Act gave them a mile and we're only beginning to find out what they've taken.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/06/politics/nsa-intern … ?hpt=hp_t1


Comments are disabled for this blog post.
  • The major problem is technology and how do we safeguard our privacy and balance it with security. If this program, would only be used for terrorism prevention, I would have no qualms. But having worked for the federal government for 36 years, I don't believe there is a chance in hell that will happen. Once the barn door is open, its open. While you may trust Obama and Bush what about the next guy. All those who are railing against the IRS, EPA, etc, Can't you see a pattern. Imagine if Nixon had this technology. The other problem part of a conversation or video or web search can be clipped and shaped to form a meaning that what was not the meaning of the conversation, video etc.

    Skibear you may not care what FBI agents think of your conversations, however if snippets of those conversations were released, a future employer etc might.

    I am not ashamed or embarrassed, however my personal intimate correspondence is just that or other wise I would do in public. Remember electronic correspondence is forever. Not like letters or papers that can be shredded or disposed of. One more thought, How many of you would be outraged to have the FBI come to your mailbox and rifle your mail? Leave the junk and go through your bills and correspondence to see what and where your are buying spending your money. And who is sending you what.

    Just think if Michelle Bachman or Ted Cruz had this power. Or if Joe McCarthy had it.
    jacker 06/08/2013 12:14 PM
  • I worry that we become so afraid of the Boggie Man(terrorism) that we give up more and more rights to feel safe. Is terrosim a problem absolutely it is. Do we need to be vigilent yes we do. Do we need to shake and hide in a corner and let the government dow what it feels is best to keep us all safe in our corners absolutely not! We need to strike a balance and I like the idea PD offered up about revisiting laws and tweaking them if needed to fit current needs. The only problem we have in doing that is we can't get our political leaders to stop throwing insults at each other long enough to govern. If Congress had been doing their jobs I have to believe this gathering of information would have been questioned long before now.
    barney290 06/07/2013 08:07 AM
  • I don't agree with the government having the ability to listen in on my wireless cell phone calls (creepy!) but I understand notarookee's point.

    I have nothing to hide, if they wanna listen, the FBI guys might get a raging hard-on, but nothing else. ;-D

    If the gov't was really on the ball and followed up on all the warnings from the Russians, and perhaps listened in on the cell phone conversations between Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev weeks before the Boston Marathon bombings, there might not be dead and permanently crippled people as a result.

    I think we're at a crossroads here. I'm all for civil liberties, but not to a foolish point that enables terrorists to kill and maim us!
    skibear 06/07/2013 02:43 AM
  • For what my opinion is worth... I think most laws and regulations passed by Congress should have a "sundown". Meaning that law expires in so many years, so those laws and regulations need to be rewritten or at least go through house, senate and president again for approval before they sunset.

    By the way, the Patriot is such bullshit. Even then name wreaks of Orwellian doublespeak.
    PDQuesnell 06/06/2013 11:59 PM
  • Bear its not only the government, it's business too. Google is the worst offender. All of the traffic on their sites are sold to other businesses So if use Chrome as your web browser you traffic to this site and any other is sold. Likewise if you wear the Google glasses your whereabouts, phone calls, etc are all mined and sold. Interesting notes, their Director emeritus, stated id you don't want certain sites or your whereabouts sold, you shouldn't be there. LOL, they also do not allow any electronics: cell phones,audio, video, laptops etc, (not even Google glasses) at their share holders meetings.
    I guess they are ashamed of what they are,
    Rest assured Version was the only company leaked, AT&T, TMobile, and all the rest were too.
    jacker 06/06/2013 10:31 PM