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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsNYT: Documents Detail N.S.A. Surveillance Rules
By SCOTT SHANE
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On Thursday, in the latest release of documents supplied by Edward J. Snowden, the former N.S.A. contractor now believed to be hiding in Hong Kong, The Guardian published two documents setting out the detailed rules governing the agencys intercepts...They show, for example, that N.S.A. officers who intercept an American online or on the phone say, while monitoring the phone or e-mail of a foreign diplomat or a suspected terrorist can preserve the recording or transcript if they believe the contents include foreign intelligence information or evidence of a possible crime. They can likewise preserve the intercept if it contains information on a threat of serious harm to life or property or sheds light on technical issues like encryption or vulnerability to cyberattacks.
And while N.S.A. analysts usually have to delete Americans names from the reports they write, there are numerous exceptions, including cases where there is evidence that the American in the intercept is working for a terrorist group, foreign country or foreign corporation.
The documents, classified Secret, describe the procedures for eavesdropping under Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act, including an N.S.A. program called Prism that mines Internet communications using services including Gmail and Facebook. They are likely to add fuel for both sides of the debate over the proper limits of the governments surveillance programs.
They offer a glimpse of a rule-bound intelligence bureaucracy that is highly sensitive to the distinction between foreigners and U.S. persons, which technically include not only American citizens and legal residents but American companies and nonprofit organizations as well. The two sets of rules, each nine pages long, belie the image of a rogue intelligence agency recklessly violating Americans privacy.
- more -
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/21/us/politics/documents-detail-nsa-surveillance-rules.html
WaPo: New documents reveal parameters of NSAs secret surveillance programs
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023058091
kentuck
(111,110 posts)But did they follow the "rules" is the question? I don't think that has been verified?
RobertEarl
(13,685 posts)If they follow the rules.
But what if the contractors are more beholden to Cheney? Ya think Bush/Cheney are a good example of following the rules?
You do know Cheney's spies are still in the NSA, right?
Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)Katashi_itto
(10,175 posts)Nothing to see here. After all they have manual to go by.
Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)Would not trust him ir the information he is delivering, his integrity is gone, he was not able to maintain the Code of Ethics. There have been many who served honorably for years in similar positions but every now and then you run across his type. The world does not need this wreck less behavior.
kentuck
(111,110 posts)"...but every now and then you run across his type"
Yeah, with 500,000 contract workers, you are bound run across his type once in a while. Most of the time, however, you would probably run across someone that would sell the information to our enemies for a huge sum of money and a safe port. The press would not know anything about it.
RobertEarl
(13,685 posts)You do realize no one takes you seriously, right?
Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)Think like Snowden there are many many who do not.
RobertEarl
(13,685 posts)And that work for the NSA? Huh?
Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)To you is there has been good decent people working in capacities of hearing conversations who do not run and deliver the information to anyone. This was not and is not a part of his job description to do so.
RobertEarl
(13,685 posts)Took info and used it for means other than supporting Obama?
Think about it.
Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)Sure sounds like it.