Do you think the CIA/FBI searches this website......

whats this yellowlist i keep hearing about ?

Originally posted by nathraq
Anyone think the government had agents, posed as ATS members, to scour this site for information?

Or how about for suggestions?

I see alot of intelligent people on this site, who come up theories I would have never thought of.

Do you think these agents are like, " OMG, why didn't we think of that? We better get Hanson on this right away!"

I think they can learn a thing or two from some of the people who post at ATS!

Of course not.

Members:

Under the current U.S. Law, the CIA cannot monitor (wiretap) "communications" between U.S. Citizens within the United States, the FBI can (monitor) after obtaining a warrant or Court
Order. However the U.S. NSA using its Echelon System
does wide-ranging and random "scans" of ALL COMMUNICATINS, domestic & foreign for the presence of
certain "key-words" (what exactly they are is classified).
If a certain amount of these "key-words" are present, then a more intense and incisive study would be done.

Nearly 95% of all Echelon "scans" are discarded; and the remaining 5% has 95% of that 5% discarded also. This indicates that approximately only .0025 of these "scans" are reviewed as to content and/or intent.

Keep up the good work; USAFSS_SP

[Edited on 29-11-2003 by EPLURIBUSUNUM]

US Laws have never stopped the Gov't from tapping in, they do as they like, they always have.

Originally posted by USAFSS-SP
Members:

Under the current U.S. Law, the CIA cannot monitor (wiretap) "communications" between U.S. Citizens within the United States, the FBI can (monitor) after obtaining a warrant or Court
Order.

A forum like this isn't protected by wiretap laws however, as it is readily viewable by anyone who enters the site. That removes any expectation of privacy that any of us may have, and as a result, it is taken as though we are speaking as though we don't care who listens.

It's the equivalent of having a personal conversation knowingly broadcast on the radio and then expecting your conversation to be kept confidential.

If the forum was limited to members and there was some kind of screening process to the membership, that could be a different story, but I often view the site from other computers where I'm not logged in. So basically, it's an open letter to whoever wants to read it.

That having been said, yes, I'm sure that we've been viewed, possibly infiltrated, likely even in RATS considering the point total needed is easy to secure if you want it. Personally, I'd be more concerned if there were security measures in place to prevent any surveillance, as that would show there might be something to hide.

Why wouldn't they, don't they want to know everything, and can pay people to find it out, and any place that has as much controversy going on as this place is bound to be noticed. I like it here. Figure if we say anything that they don't like we will know it soon enough right?!

If there were agents of an org on this site, they would be directing the conversations and topics not merely listening

Originally posted by NuTroll
If there were agents of an org on this site, they would be directing the conversations and topics not merely listening

How do you know they are not?

Originally posted by NuTroll
If there were agents of an org on this site, they would be directing the conversations and topics not merely listening

Then we'll just have to Re-Direct them won't we

How do you know they are not?

Yep...however, I can see the value of just lurking too... Many of our members are from all over the world, so it's a quick way to get other viewpoints on an issue...even it means starting a topic...

Also, there are a lot of members here, who have family members, etc. who work, have worked, in top secret programs, and even various intelligence services... Doesn't mean they're all here to spy or sway opinion though....