ACLU: NSA’s PRISM Program is Doubly Illegal

[RLENT]

From John Glaser @ Anti-War.com:

The executive branch's Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB) issued a report back in December that was devastating to the Obama administration's claims that NSA surveillance is both legal and effective in providing security. The report concluded that, in fact, the bulk collection of phone records under Section 215 of the FISA Amendments Act (FAA) doesn't yield valuable intelligence and violates the rights of Americans.

The PCLOB had sought input from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to complete that report. Now, another report is in the works that may be even more devastating to the defenders of limitless NSA surveillance. The new report will focus on the PRISM program which taps into servers of internet providers and tech companies to directly spy on the content of user data. The FAA supposedly authorizes this sweeping surveillance in its Section 702.

But the ACLU is arguing that programs like PRISM are doubly illegal. In talking with the PCLOB, the ACLU is arguing not only that the NSA's implementation of Section 702 authorities violates what the statute actually authorizes, but also that the FAA itself is illegal in that it violates the Constitution.

In testimony provided to the board in advance of today's meeting, the ACLU argues - as it has in litigation, notably in Amnesty International USA v. Clapper and United States v. Muhtorov - that the FAA is unlawful. The statute violates the Fourth Amendment because it permits the warrantless surveillance of American's international communications on a truly massive scale. The testimony also makes the case that the government's implementation of the FAA - about which we've learned much over the past nine months - violates the text of the statute itself:

First, while the statute was intended to augment the government's authority to collect international communications, the NSA's targeting and minimization procedures give the government broad authority to collect purely domestic communications as well. Second, while the statute was intended to give the government authority to acquire communications to and from the government's targets, the NSA's procedures also permit the government to acquire communications "about" those targets. And, third, while the statute prohibits so-called "reverse targeting," the NSA's procedures authorize the government to conduct "backdoor" searches of communications acquired under the FAA using selectors associated with particular, known Americans. Thus, even if the statute itself is lawful, the NSA's implementation of it is not.​

(Article continues at link below)

ACLU: NSA's PRISM Program is Doubly Illegal « Antiwar.com Blog

 

[Turtle]

Google was already encrypting searches in China and a few other places. Now that goes global. In addition, they are now also encrypting all e-mail on their servers, specifically so the NSA can't intercept the data between Google data centers.
Google Enhances Encryption Technology for Email - ABC News

 

[davekc]

And for your local basically unchecked surveillance.
Police across the country using secret cell phone-tracking device known as 'Stingray' to catch criminals | Mail Online

 

[Maverick]

IMHO....they are tracking everything electronic, and Google is just another program for use.

 

[Turtle]

Not only electronic, but some cities, LA and Chicago for sure and probably many others, are tracking your location by using your license plate. They reason that ALL vehicles, under suspicion or not, is under investigation. Basically, they have a gazillion cameras and the cameras are taking pictures of every license plate that passes by. They can then do a database search on the plate and get a complete history of where that plate has been. As the article below points out, these have some serious 4th Amendment concerns.

Here's the original story from the Electronic Frontier Foundation where they detail it. In the story is a link to the sales video on how it works, and it's an eye opener for anyone who didn't know this was going on.

I love the LAPD's statement on privacy concerns, and how "concerned" they are over protecting the privacy of its citizens. They will be vigilant not to release any of that information to the public. They sure want it, tho. I wonder what will happen when Anonymous or some other hacking group gets through with them.

This is the textbook definition of a Police State. A police state is not one, contrary to cold-war era thrillers, where armed men patrol every street corner, asking for "papers".

A police state is the one, where, subject to arbitrary criminal suspicion by default, individuals have de facto rights that are inferior to the rights for police to act, at every level from municipal to federal. If you have nothing to hide, well then...

Enjoy your police state, America!

 

[Maverick]

Not only electronic, but some cities, LA and Chicago for sure and probably many others, are tracking your location by using your license plate. They reason that ALL vehicles, under suspicion or not, is under investigation. Basically, they have a gazillion cameras and the cameras are taking pictures of every license plate that passes by. They can then do a database search on the plate and get a complete history of where that plate has been. As the article below points out, these have some serious 4th Amendment concerns.

Here's the original story from the Electronic Frontier Foundation where they detail it. In the story is a link to the sales video on how it works, and it's an eye opener for anyone who didn't know this was going on.

I love the LAPD's statement on privacy concerns, and how "concerned" they are over protecting the privacy of its citizens. They will be vigilant not to release any of that information to the public. They sure want it, tho. I wonder what will happen when Anonymous or some other hacking group gets through with them.

This is the textbook definition of a Police State. A police state is not one, contrary to cold-war era thrillers, where armed men patrol every street corner, asking for "papers".

A police state is the one, where, subject to arbitrary criminal suspicion by default, individuals have de facto rights that are inferior to the rights for police to act, at every level from municipal to federal. If you have nothing to hide, well then...

Enjoy your police state, America!

Yupper. The American people bought it all, while not paying one bit of attention to truth. All that's left to do now; is stomping out, any and all, potential grass roots movements. Just a little brush fire, here and there.

Everything The Founders warned about, is here. They knew their history, were about 3 times more intelligent than any current occupants, and gave us the best shot. Respect for them grows almost daily now.

 

[cheri1122]

The LAPD will be vigilant in not releasing confidential info? Excuse me if I'm a bit skeptical, but I recall seeing something about police departments [and hospitals!] returning leased photocopiers to the vendor, complete with internal copies of every document copied. The machines were sold at auction, [to anyone!] with nothing [legal and medical records, names included!] removed or deleted.
Who needs hackers, when 'intelligent businesspeople' can be that incredibly inept?

 

[Maverick]

The LAPD will be vigilant in not releasing confidential info? Excuse me if I'm a bit skeptical, but I recall seeing something about police departments [and hospitals!] returning leased photocopiers to the vendor, complete with internal copies of every document copied. The machines were sold at auction, [to anyone!] with nothing [legal and medical records, names included!] removed or deleted.
Who needs hackers, when 'intelligent businesspeople' can be that incredibly inept?

Come now.....your surely not asking to insert common sense, ethics, or linear thinking into the general populace at this juncture....are you?

 

[layoutshooter]

Keep voting them in and NOTHING is going to change. ALL "stuff" flows downhill. Always look to the top to find where the problems start. *HINT* Party affiliation does NOT matter.

 

[Turtle]

Obama is proposing to completely overhaul the NSA's phone collection process. Overhaul, completely, he says. He proposes that instead of collecting everything and holding onto it all for 5 years, that they collect everything and hold onto it for 18 months. Because that's way different. In a major rift within the party, Senator Dianne Feinstein thinks the best way to overhaul it is to keep things exactly as they are.

 

[LDB]

How about they overhaul by collecting and keeping the PRO's, Feinstein, Biden, Rangel, Schumer etc. for five years in solitary at Supermax.

 

[layoutshooter]

WE, as a nation, keep putting them into office. There will be no real change until we stop electing the types of people we are electing. Unfortunately, nothing is likely to change. The "gimmie goobers" want their freebies, the "unions" want their share of the control. The "parties" don't want to give up their power. Those who care to change it are a shrinking minority. It may already be too late to do anything.

 

[layoutshooter]

Google was already encrypting searches in China and a few other places. Now that goes global. In addition, they are now also encrypting all e-mail on their servers, specifically so the NSA can't intercept the data between Google data centers.
Google Enhances Encryption Technology for Email - ABC News

They will argue back and forth for a while, then let the story "fade" on it's own and continue as always. It's all for show.

 

[Maverick]

They will argue back and forth for a while, then let the story "fade" on it's own and continue as always. It's all for show.

Yup again. Smoke and mirror's.

Google is right smack in the middle of it all, and is not your friend. Top of the food chain....right along with the those they pretend to defy.