NSA has massive database of Americans' phone calls

[db]

USAToday:

"The National Security Agency has been secretly collecting the phone call records of tens of millions of Americans, using data provided by AT&T, Verizon and BellSouth, people with direct knowledge of the arrangement told USA TODAY.

"The NSA program reaches into homes and businesses across the nation by amassing information about the calls of ordinary Americans ? most of whom aren't suspected of any crime."

"...The agency's goal is "to create a database of every call ever made" within the nation's borders, this person added."

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[IamDavid]

who cares? I mean really, why is this a big deal.. And no it doesn't infringe on my privacy.

 

[AntaresVI]

This is a good first step - honestly, if you aren't making illegal calls, why should you care? I bet a lot of good will come of this - the government will use it to decide what areas need phone upgrades, what areas need police, etc... i could really see this going somewhere. Hopefully it'll be such that all the drug dealers make calls to other drug dealers, and they act like a virus that spreads to each one until they're all caught in the NSA's spiderweb net of justice. Then, we'll be truly free. Freedom is only free if someone's listening to your calls to make sure you're safe - i mean this could even protect little kids from kidnappers who may call them to invite them outside for "candy." If even one child's life is spared, this is all worth it. Also, benefit could be seen with the stock market - if the NSA hears me make an order over the phone, they can execute my instructions on the market faster than I could have - making me money! This is awesome.

 

[her209]

Government should fear the people... not the other way around.

 

[db]

The is probably something harmless, like the world's largest beta test to see if their software can search and collate voice (content) communications with a voice recognition keyword search. Definately much harder to do than mining email communications

 

[IamDavid]

Originally posted by: her209
Government should fear the people... not the other way around.

Fortunately our government is made of "the people".. There is no way to keep any "secret" program hidden for long.. That's why I never think much of all the hype around stories like this..

 

[BoomerD]

I seem to remember that since the 70's, it's been fairly common knowledge (or urban myth) that the NSA listened for certain keywords on all (some) international calls. Not sure how it was realistically accomplished, but there has been discussion of that for MANY years.

 

[daniel49]

can you spell repost?

 

[jackschmittusa]

How long before someone uses this database to compile a list of everyone that calls or receives a call from an abortion clinic? Everyone that calls a sex line? Communicates with the local, state, or national Democratic headquarters?

Just imagine what Joe McCarthy or J. Edgar Hoover could have done with such a database. It makes me cringe to even think about it.

 

[xolademoness]

Originally posted by: jackschmittusa
How long before someone uses this database to compile a list of everyone that calls or receives a call from an abortion clinic? Everyone that calls a sex line? Communicates with the local, state, or national Democratic headquarters?

Just imagine what Joe McCarthy or J. Edgar Hoover could have done with such a database. It makes me cringe to even think about it.

Exactly, and with the Church moving ever forwards to merging back with the State - thanks to the Republican Party - this kind of thing couldn't be too far off.

If it wasn't for that, I'd say it was definitely a good thing. It's not like the NSA would be listening to peoples' dirty telephone calls for fun (well.. we hope) or anything, they'd only actually need to ACCESS the calls if there was a terrorist incident or whatever. It could be a very good thing - but it's also a huge potential for abuse.