WSJ brings NSA data-mining to page 1

NSA’s Domestic Spying Grows As Agency Sweeps Up Data
By SIOBHAN GORMAN
March 10, 2008; Page A1
According to current and former intelligence officials, the spy agency now monitors huge volumes of records of domestic emails and Internet searches as well as bank transfers, credit-card transactions, travel and telephone records. The NSA receives this so-called “transactional” data from [...]

Telecoms spending big on Capitol Hill

In an obvious development, it turns out the telecom industry has been quite generous to members of Congress these past few years. One could make the case that this compromises Congress’ objectivity in regards to FISA extensions — the so-called ‘Protect America Act — with telecom immunity.
The 68 senators who voted “yes” on the legislation [...]

FISA: It’s the emails

It is now official: the fight over FISA extensions is not about phone conversations — it’s about internet data.
At a Monday breakfast sponsored by the American Bar Association, Assistant Attorney General for National Security Kenneth Wainstein remarked that the fight over the eavesdropping bill actually centers on US interception of email.
“In response to a [...]

Whistle-blower describes NSA back door to telecom’s cell phone data

Another whistle-blower has come forward claiming that he has witnessed the NSA’s back door access to a telecom’s cellular data stream. The witness refuses to identify the telecom involved. It is known that he works for a network security firm which provided consultant work for this telecom starting in 2003. Here are the talking points [...]

Are We Rome?

The following is a timely passage from the book Are We Rome? by Cullen Murphy.

In 68 B.C. a pirate attack on Rome’s port of Ostia prompted the terrified Romans to cede far-reaching powers to one man, Pompey. There would be no turning back. The need to act boldly and react quickly; to ferret out enemy [...]

Senate: 1 - Privacy: 0

In clear contempt of American civil liberties, the Senate voted today to legalize President Bush’s warrant-less wiretapping programs and shield telecoms from privacy lawsuits stemming from their cooperation.
The bill, which expires in six years, allows the government to install permanent wiretapping outposts in telephone and internet facilities inside the United States without a warrant. However, [...]

Senate Set to OK Data Mining, Telecom Immunity

[This is a repost and it is long, but it is important, thank you for understanding.]
The Senate will vote this afternoon on S.2248, an extension of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which has become anything but foreign. It has morphed into a decree on domestic spying, particularly giving telecom companies immunity for taking part in [...]

Sen. Russ Feingold: FISA in 30 Seconds

Fear Mongering Over FISA Extensions

The Republican National Committee released a video today attacking Senate Democrats for their opposition to the Orwellian FISA extensions. The fear mongering in this video is Tancredo-esque: complete with ticking clocks, jingoism, and simplistic conclusions.

While these scare tactics are especially disturbing, the Arabic like pronunciation of Barack Obama’s name and the vilification of Democrats in [...]

Sen. Rockefeller Sums Up FISA Extension

My aversion to this bill goes beyond retroactive immunity for the telecoms. Above all, the new FISA powers are an affront to privacy and civil liberties. In a floor address to the Senate yesterday, Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV)–a stalwart supporter of FISA extensions plus the immunity amendment–inadvertently made that point clear:
Unlike traditional [Foreign Intelligence Surveillance [...]

27 Million FISA Phone ‘Sessions’ Tapped in 2006

That’s a big number for not being able to know anything about what it means.