PRISM: NSA/FBI Internet data mining project

Fri Jun 21 14:56:18 UTC 2013

On 06/09/13 11:10 -0500, Dan White wrote:
>Let me put my gold tipped tinfoil hat on in response to your statement.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/20/fisa-court-nsa-without-warrant

If accurate, this is extremely concerning:

   Top secret documents submitted to the court that oversees surveillance by US
   intelligence agencies show the judges have signed off on broad orders which
   allow the NSA to make use of information "inadvertently" collected from
   domestic US communications without a warrant.

   The documents show that even under authorities governing the collection of
   foreign intelligence from foreign targets, US communications can still be
   collected, retained and used.

   ...However, alongside those provisions, the Fisa court-approved policies
   allow the NSA to:

   • Keep data that could potentially contain details of US persons for up
     to five years;

     Retain and make use of "inadvertently acquired" domestic communications
     if they contain usable intelligence, information on criminal activity,
     threat of harm to people or property, are encrypted, or are believed to
     contain any information relevant to cybersecurity;

All protections afforded by the fourth amendment have essentially been
thrown into the (rather large) bit bucket by the FISA court, when it comes
to any bits which leave your premise.

-- 
Dan White