Mass telephone record collection ends on Sunday, government will now, at least officially, need evidence and warrants.

"Starting Sunday, agencies must request a court order to be allowed to ask telecommunication companies for phone records and also must name specific targets."
"The shift in government policy arrives two-and-a-half years after the method was exposed by former NSA worker and later-famed whistleblower Edward Snowden."
“The problem – and it is a major one – is the reform applies only to phone records. The NSA can continue to harvest bulk communications from the internet and social media.”

NSA Stops Phone Collection, But Agency Can Still Receive Your Call Records, Social Media Data
http://www.ibtimes.com/nsa-stops-phone- ... ia-2202977

SilasSoule wrote:Mass telephone record collection ends on Sunday, government will now, at least officially, need evidence and warrants.

"Starting Sunday, agencies must request a court order to be allowed to ask telecommunication companies for phone records and also must name specific targets."
"The shift in government policy arrives two-and-a-half years after the method was exposed by former NSA worker and later-famed whistleblower Edward Snowden."
“The problem – and it is a major one – is the reform applies only to phone records. The NSA can continue to harvest bulk communications from the internet and social media.”

NSA Stops Phone Collection, But Agency Can Still Receive Your Call Records, Social Media Data
http://www.ibtimes.com/nsa-stops-phone- ... ia-2202977

I find Snowden to be a true hero, some on this sight will disagree. I'd buy him a drink.

I think we should add Snowden to Mt. Rushmore!

Snowden did bring a lot of bad stuff into the spotlight but I disagree with his choices. IMO, a "hero" does not give that type of information to our adversaries. Better to find a sympathetic voice in the DoJ or Congress. Fact is, much of this type of stuff was a predicted result of the "Patriot Act" and similar legislation. People were just too frightened into stupid mode at the time to think about what was actually being authorized. The public was warned.

Just think - if 14 years ago had the Bush administration not had their collective heads up their asses, heeded all the warnings and had taken actions to shore up airport security, we probably wouldn't be having this conversation.

wifesbane wrote: The public was warned.

I think we were above the therapeutic level of patriotism at the time.

SilasSoule wrote:Mass telephone record collection ends on Sunday, government will now, at least officially, need evidence and warrants.

Right. I'm cynical today but it does set a something in motion. Billions of bytes have just vanished. But Snowdon is a Hero. On that I'm not sarcastic.

I spent this afternoon driving around the area road hunting and they had a very interesting program on NPR about the patriot act. It solidified my contempt for anybody that voted for it. They also talked about the wire tapping and electronic surveillance and it appears that no matter what its here to stay. They talk about how France has done the same this last year.

wifesbane wrote:Snowden did bring a lot of bad stuff into the spotlight but I disagree with his choices. IMO, a "hero" does not give that type of information to our adversaries. Better to find a sympathetic voice in the DoJ or Congress. Fact is, much of this type of stuff was a predicted result of the "Patriot Act" and similar legislation. People were just too frightened into stupid mode at the time to think about what was actually being authorized. The public was warned.

If they had been using the technology in a targeted manner, I don't think it would have bothered him.

This article includes an interview with another former NSA employee who quit when mass surveillance started (last section of article):

"Sitting in a restaurant not far from NSA headquarters, the place where he spent nearly 40 years of his life, (William) Binney held his thumb and forefinger close together. “We are, like, that far from a turnkey totalitarian state,” he says."

http://www.wired.com/2012/03/ff_nsadatacenter/all/1

eelj wrote:

SilasSoule wrote:Mass telephone record collection ends on Sunday, government will now, at least officially, need evidence and warrants.

"Starting Sunday, agencies must request a court order to be allowed to ask telecommunication companies for phone records and also must name specific targets."
"The shift in government policy arrives two-and-a-half years after the method was exposed by former NSA worker and later-famed whistleblower Edward Snowden."
“The problem – and it is a major one – is the reform applies only to phone records. The NSA can continue to harvest bulk communications from the internet and social media.”

NSA Stops Phone Collection, But Agency Can Still Receive Your Call Records, Social Media Data
http://www.ibtimes.com/nsa-stops-phone- ... ia-2202977

I find Snowden to be a true hero, some on this sight will disagree. I'd buy him a drink.

The man would never buy a drink if I'm around; he's a true hero...wish there were more like him.

eelj wrote:

SilasSoule wrote:Mass telephone record collection ends on Sunday, government will now, at least officially, need evidence and warrants.

"Starting Sunday, agencies must request a court order to be allowed to ask telecommunication companies for phone records and also must name specific targets."
"The shift in government policy arrives two-and-a-half years after the method was exposed by former NSA worker and later-famed whistleblower Edward Snowden."
“The problem – and it is a major one – is the reform applies only to phone records. The NSA can continue to harvest bulk communications from the internet and social media.”

NSA Stops Phone Collection, But Agency Can Still Receive Your Call Records, Social Media Data
http://www.ibtimes.com/nsa-stops-phone- ... ia-2202977

I find Snowden to be a true hero, some on this sight will disagree. I'd buy him a drink.

Wish a movement would be started to pardon him. Just too bad he has to stay in Russia which is a red flag to too many here.

chevalier wrote:Wish a movement would be started to pardon him. Just too bad he has to stay in Russia which is a red flag to too many here.

He requested asylum from many countries - they mostly either said no or that he had to apply in person in their country. Some did not respond to his request. Here is the list of countries and their responses:

Edward Snowden asylum: countries approached and their responses
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/j ... -countries

It looks like he had an offer from Venezuela and Nicaragua was a firm "maybe":
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/worl ... s/2493225/

wifesbane wrote:Snowden did bring a lot of bad stuff into the spotlight but I disagree with his choices. IMO, a "hero" does not give that type of information to our adversaries. Better to find a sympathetic voice in the DoJ or Congress. Fact is, much of this type of stuff was a predicted result of the "Patriot Act" and similar legislation. People were just too frightened into stupid mode at the time to think about what was actually being authorized. The public was warned.

Right, so he could end up sharing a prison cell with Bradley/Chelsea Manning and everybody could forget about his message.

They like spying on Americans and won't stop unless they're forced to. The public is so passive as to be asleep. Does anybody ever consider that might be why corporations and their minions in government run roughshod over us? Bankers steal trillions and get a slap on the wrist (maybe) but they throw the book at tons of minor crimes and things that wouldn't even be crimes at all in a sane society. If somehow a protest is organized, the media is there to spin it into a riot for rioting's sake. This is a sick country waiting to be put down.