Friday, October 18, 2013

The top 5 things we’ve learned about the NSA thanks to Edward Snowden

Ars Technica has a lengthy article, The top 5 things we’ve learned about the NSA thanks to Edward Snowden. In brief...

What we’ve learned:

  • American telcos are compelled to routinely hand over metadata to the government
  • Digital surveillance programs capture vast amounts of data: PRISM and XKeyscore
  • US companies have done little to resist government pressure
  • NSA's sister organization, GCHQ, does what the NSA can’t
  • NSA analysts even used capabilities to spy on their exes

What has happened since:

  • As a way to prevent future leaks, the NSA fired nearly all its sysadmins
  • Privacy-minded e-mail providers shut themselves down under pressure
  • The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) opened up and published docket and opinions
  • Patriot Act author said that NSA’s interpretation is overbroad
  • Congressional reforms introduced, remain slow-moving

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