XKEYSCORE: NSA’s Google for the World’s Private Communications(documents released)

Today*, The Intercept is publishing 48 top-secret and other classified documents about XKEYSCORE dated up to 2013, which shed new light on the breadth, depth and functionality of this critical spy system — one of the largest releases yet of documents provided by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.


Fourth Amendment:

If, for instance, an analyst searched XKEYSCORE for all iPhone users, this query would violate USSID 18 due to the inevitable American iPhone users that would be grabbed without a warrant, as the NSA’s own training materials make clear.

More at the OP Source

Example graphic from the site

XKEYSCORE: NSA’s Google for the World’s Private Communications(documents released)

*article time says yesterday

The program collected more than the general flow of web traffic as once thought. As many had previously seen these NSA programs as a whole as non invasive. It's know as the “widest reaching” even more far data collected than PRISM.

Thoughts?

The NSA’s XKEYSCORE program, first revealed by The Guardian, sweeps up countless people’s Internet searches, emails, documents, usernames and passwords, and other private communications.

-OP Source

Related: Turns out NSA was collecting, voice calls, photos,...

a reply to: dreamingawake

With the amount of money spent on these systems, anyone who thinks that they will be simply abandoned if told to do so by lawmakers has some serious issues accepting reality.

The power these people have is near absolute.

I do not subscribe to the idea that power corrupts.

I do, however, echo Frank Herbert's notion that power attracts the corruptible and thus absolute power would attract the absolutely corruptible.

Any time you have someone seeking power over others, they are immediately suspect as either being corrupt or easily made to be so.

originally posted by: jadedANDcynical
a reply to: dreamingawake

With the amount of money spent on these systems, anyone who thinks that they will be simply abandoned if told to do so by lawmakers has some serious issues accepting reality.

The power these people have is near absolute.

I do not subscribe to the idea that power corrupts.

I do, however, echo Frank Herbert's notion that power attracts the corruptible and thus absolute power would attract the absolutely corruptible.

Any time you have someone seeking power over others, they are immediately suspect as either being corrupt or easily made to be so.

Well said, thanks.

a reply to: dreamingawake

Everything deployed against external threats will be deployed at home. Hope you enjoyed American Sniper.
You are the next savage.

there are thousands of people doing these 'collections', all those agencies are co-ordinated under the NCTC. Those creeps want bang for their bucks.
Anyone would be mad to think that it was/is a harmless operation.

originally posted by: smurfy
there are thousands of people doing these 'collections', all those agencies are co-ordinated under the NCTC. Those creeps want bang for their bucks.
Anyone would be mad to think that it was/is a harmless operation.

Exactly. Most of that data can be anywhere now, even in the hands of hackers.

a reply to: jadedANDcynical

Yep, it isn't going away. People there can justify their actions to them self despite what laws are made. You can bet security has been ramped up a level or two to prevent leaks of what actually goes one.

The chorus of: 'National Security' is sung over and over.

A fair question, to my mind, is how and why Glenn Greenwald is able to get away with publishing this stuff. I assume it's because since his first leak was so widely publicized, he is sort of safe under the limelight? Although, he was supposedly going to publish other material last summer that apparently he was not able to do. Seems like a lot coming out this summer, though...

a reply to: dreamingawake

Its apparent that Edward Snowden can release all the documents he wants , nobody appears to care.

He screwed up when he didn't have any juicy documents about the Kardasians.

Squirrel,

originally posted by: dreamingawake

originally posted by: smurfy
there are thousands of people doing these 'collections', all those agencies are co-ordinated under the NCTC. Those creeps want bang for their bucks.
Anyone would be mad to think that it was/is a harmless operation.

Exactly. Most of that data can be anywhere now, even in the hands of hackers.

Some of the first hackers were those engaged in gathering the material for the US government, they abused the 'priviledge' for their own use and that's been admitted, though probably played down. I don't mean Snowden though, he is a whistleblower on the whole caboodle.

a reply to: dreamingawake

When are the FBI, the police, or the US Military going to arrest the politicians responsible for this?

THIS IS A GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE.

I did not give anyone permission to infringe on my constitutional rights, NONE OF US DID!

The people responsible need to be jailed and tried as traitors, they are guilty of treason.

Our government has taken away our constitutional right without the permission of the people.

I don't understand what the FBI, the police, and the military are waiting for. Arrest the Damm traitors.

I say we pardon every politician that comes clean, and tells us what is really going on behind closed doors.

We are a forgiving people, but your path to repentance lies in telling the truth. If you want the GRACE of mankind then start representing the people by telling the truth.

originally posted by: Isurrender73
a reply to: dreamingawake

When are the FBI, the police, or the US Military going to arrest the politicians responsible for this?

THIS IS A GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE.

I did not give anyone permission to infringe on my constitutional rights, NONE OF US DID!

The people responsible need to be jailed and tried as traitors, they are guilty of treason.

Our government has taken away our constitutional right without the permission of the people.

I don't understand what the FBI, the police, and the military are waiting for. Arrest the Damm traitors.

I say we pardon every politician that comes clean, and tells us what is really going on behind closed doors.

We are a forgiving people, but your path to repentance lies in telling the truth. If you want the GRACE of mankind then start representing the people by telling the truth.

Perhaps the arresting officer's house would be raided and kiddie porn found on his computer and his bank accounts frozen while his case is pending trial and his children could be caught dealing drugs and evidence come to light of him embezzling and defrauding his employer and further evidence come to light of him destroying evidence at the behest of a crime syndicate, who are also supplying his kids with drugs to sell. Or they could really have some genuine dirt on the officer... Perhaps.

a reply to: chr0naut

Not everyone is corrupt. I am not afraid of having my past exposed to the world, even though I have done things I am not proud of.

I would rather my children see me sit in jail next to the politicians then to see me sit and do nothing.

Of course to prove I am corrupt someone else has to break the law. Innocent until proven guilty. A pacifist like me gives no reason to be watched.

To prove the government is corrupt one only needs to watch what is visible for all to see.

originally posted by: Isurrender73
a reply to: dreamingawake

When are the FBI, the police, or the US Military going to arrest the politicians responsible for this?

THIS IS A GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE.

I did not give anyone permission to infringe on my constitutional rights, NONE OF US DID!

The people responsible need to be jailed and tried as traitors, they are guilty of treason.

Our government has taken away our constitutional right without the permission of the people.

I don't understand what the FBI, the police, and the military are waiting for. Arrest the Damm traitors.

I say we pardon every politician that comes clean, and tells us what is really going on behind closed doors.

We are a forgiving people, but your path to repentance lies in telling the truth. If you want the GRACE of mankind then start representing the people by telling the truth.

Exactly!

a reply to: dreamingawake
That article makes a big deal about how the NSA and GCHQ might be breaking the law in their data collection of their own citizens and that this system allows such abuse to take place where the audits are donw by their friends and co-workers:

firstlook.org...

During a symposium in January 2015 hosted at Harvard University, Edward Snowden, who spoke via video call, said that NSA analysts are “completely free from any meaningful oversight.” Speaking about the people who audit NSA systems like XKEYSCORE for USSID 18 compliance, he said, “The majority of the people who are doing the auditing are the friends of the analysts. They work in the same office. They’re not full-time auditors, they’re guys who have other duties assigned. There are a few traveling auditors who go around and look at the things that are out there, but really it’s not robust.”

I thought I read somewhere else that the way NSA and GCHQ got around the legal barriers to spying on their opwn people was that they would try to not do it, but just legally spy on each others people, then swap the collected data. The spying on each others people is legal, but swapping the data I'm not sure about if the intent of the law is to prevent them from spying on their own citizens and that's the effective result of swapping the collected data.

I sort of get the impression from other NSA whistleblowers that the NSA thinks they are above the law anyway and will do pretty much what they want. I was a little surprised to find the NSA statements in the article trying to whitewash what they are doing, and explain the "stringent audits", which Snowden says aren't stringent at all and are done by friends and co-workers for the most part.

a reply to: Arbitrageur

Yes, sounds like a slight conflict of interest in the oversight department, I guess that's why we will continue to have to rely on hero's like Snowden.

I think this data is being used to blackmail politicians and Supreme Court justices. My take is that this country is seriously compromised.

of course - this revalation does have consequences for the conspiritorially minded , given the common claim that :

" the govt // milirary // 3 letter agencies are 10 , 20 50 years [ delete as apllicable ] ahead of ` us ` "

^ thats a paraphrase of a common ATS dogma

so - is this claim ` just disinfo ` - because it contradicst the widley held belief cite above ?????????????

or does this claim falsify the aforementioned ?

ya cant have it both ways - so which is it ?????????????????

originally posted by: jadedANDcynical
a reply to: dreamingawake

With the amount of money spent on these systems, anyone who thinks that they will be simply abandoned if told to do so by lawmakers has some serious issues accepting reality.

The power these people have is near absolute.

Yeah, but it's not really about the money. The government has no issues whatsoever with wasting tax revenue. They do it all the time. The reason this isn't going away is because power is far more valuable to governments than money. Power IS money. And everything else.


They'd have no problems walking away from it right now if they didn't think it would get them the power they want.

I do not subscribe to the idea that power corrupts.

I do, however, echo Frank Herbert's notion that power attracts the corruptible and thus absolute power would attract the absolutely corruptible.

Any time you have someone seeking power over others, they are immediately suspect as either being corrupt or easily made to be so.

This is pretty sensible. Though I personally believe people are inherently corrupt. It only takes the right scenario to bring it out.