So apparently my naked underage ass is on some NSA hard drive somewhere. I feel pretty proud of that
Deleted my share of this, as this one already has comments. I'm really interested in how they get around that. Any law that prosecutes teenagers for the sexualised contents of text messages should by right apply to data collected by programmes such as this. The NSA has a pile of child pornography kicking around out there. Up to now, the public in the UK has been reasonably uninterested in the Snowden revelations - might this actually get them on board? I'd love to think so, but I'm doubtful.So apparently my naked underage ass is on some NSA hard drive somewhere
I almost wish it was that simple. My mother made the classic argument we all gag to, "nothing hide, why should I worry?". One of my elder co-workers, a computer scientist, isn't opposed to it because he legitimately believes it is a good thing... that terrorists are being actively apprehended, I guess. I couldn't really probe him on it because I had unfortunately mentioned my stance already. I suppose both himself and my mother live in a state of constant fear. Not to sound narcissistic, but... I pity them.
THEY DON'T LOOK AT MESSAGE CONTENT, OKAY?!
Hang on. Let's take the 'why' of this one step at a time. 1. Automated facial recognition software improvement. What? ...there have to be less morally worrying, more legal ways to do that. Like ... using the fleet of CC cameras the UK already has at every public streetcorner. So I refuse to accept that. 2. To monitor existing targets. Fine ... except that their existing "targets" have often proven to be completely innocent people and they admit it was a random bulk project in the next paragraph. So they had no way of truly selecting the right people. Which brings me to 3. 3. To discover ... new ... "targets of interest" ... on Yahoo webcams. Illegally. Immorally. Aaaaaaaaaaaurrghh. WHO THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA?!The system, eerily reminiscent of the telescreens evoked in George Orwell's 1984, was used for experiments in automated facial recognition, to monitor GCHQ's existing targets, and to discover new targets of interest.
Don't worry, I'm sure they're doing that too. :D! BEST TESTBED EVAR! Also, the link at the bottom of the article featuring William Binney as an NSA whistleblower was just a bit too prophetic for me....using the fleet of CC cameras the UK already has at every public streetcorner.
And the only thing we've heard CSIS doing is spying on airport wireless, pretty pathetic compared to their peers. I think they need to step it up a bit. Then again, maybe the fact that we haven't heard anything means they're actually capable of keeping a secret.
I bet not because of this: Which is surely why they did it in the first place. So the higher-ups can probably access what they want under the "national security" defense, but the analysts at large are (supposedly) restricted to metadata.The agency did make efforts to limit analysts' ability to see webcam images, restricting bulk searches to metadata only.
That and perhaps a secondary goal that is way more sinister. By getting people to realize they are being watched all the time, perceived surveillance, their actions are going to change, complying more towards perceived 'normal' behavior. It will get to self- censorship at its worst.
Straight-up blackmail is not an effective strategy: Hoover failed to blackmail MLK back in the 60's. Their current strategy is to search everything you've done in the past, and find or make up a crime using poorly worded legislation, falsify the investigative trail as to be permissible in court, and threaten you with excessive prosecution, while you rot in pre-trial detention, hopefully milking a plea bargain to serve them political gain or have you turn in your friends. This effectively ends the judicial tradition of presumption of innocence.