Orwellian

Edward Snowden’s leaks cause editorial split at the Washington Post

"It said: 'Stopping potentially damaging revelations or the dissemination of intelligence to adversaries should take precedence over US prosecution of Mr Snowden — which could enhance his status as a political martyr in the eyes of many both in and outside the United States.' And all this in the paper responsible for publishing Snowden’s leaks. Syndicated newspaper columnist David Sirota contends that the editorial 'represents the paper’s higher-ups issuing a jeremiad against their own news-generating source and, by extension, the reporters who helped bring his leak into the public sphere.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingEdward Snowden’s leaks cause editorial split at the Washington Post

With Montana’s Lead, States May Demand Warrants for Cellphone Data

"The Montana Legislature this spring passed a location information privacy bill, which requires a search warrant for location information recorded by an 'electronic device.' There are exceptions to the warrant requirement, including when the cellphone is reported stolen or to respond to a cellphone user’s emergency call. Steve Bullock, the governor of Montana, signed it into law on May 6. The American Civil Liberties Union, which tracks cellphone tracking laws across the country, called it the first such state legislation. Over a dozen other states have eyed similar measures just this year." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWith Montana’s Lead, States May Demand Warrants for Cellphone Data

US sends Irish government arrest warrant for Snowden

"The Government has received a request from the US authorities to arrest fugitive US intelligence analyst Edward Snowden. The provisional arrest warrant received by the Irish Government from the US authorities is now being handled by the extradition Unit in the Garda’s crime and security branch based in Garda headquarters, Phoenix Park, Dublin. The warrant has been issued as a pre-emptive strike against any effort by Mr Snowden to evade the US authorities by flying from Moscow to Havana on a commercial flight that stops off at Shannon for refuelling. The warrant would enable the Garda to arrest Mr Snowden under the Extradition Act 1965." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingUS sends Irish government arrest warrant for Snowden

French and British Spying Rivals NSA’s

"Reports are now getting out that the French government and the British government both run data-monitoring programs that involve spying as comprehensive as NSA’s. But this is not getting as much attention, because they have not had leakers with stolen documents that prove this. The protests of European governments against NSA spying on their people turns out to be turf war. The government’s politicians resent the fact that the NSA has invaded their turf. Only domestic spies are allowed to spy on domestic populations in European countries. Privacy is a thing of the past all over the world. The cost of spying on us keeps falling." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFrench and British Spying Rivals NSA’s

Privacy group to file Supreme Court petition against NSA surveillance program

"The Domestic Surveillance Project division of the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) announced Thursday that it plans to file a petition asking the U.S. Supreme Court to vacate the Foreign Surveillance Intelligence Court (FISC) ruling which authorized the National Security Agency (NSA) to collect metadata on domestic phone calls. Domestic Surveillance Project Director Amie Stepanovich made the announcement at a Restore the Fourth rally in Washington on Thursday, one of several rallies across the country dedicated to protesting the NSA’s sweeping spying programs and invoke the Fourth Amendment’s protections against unreasonable searches and seizures." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPrivacy group to file Supreme Court petition against NSA surveillance program

Using Metadata to Find Paul Revere

"I have been asked by my superiors to give a brief demonstration of the surprising effectiveness of even the simplest techniques of the new-fangled Social Networke Analysis in the pursuit of those who would seek to undermine the liberty enjoyed by His Majesty’s subjects. This is in connection with the discussion of the role of 'metadata' in certain recent events and the assurances of various respectable parties that the government was merely 'sifting through this so-called metadata'. I will show how we can use this 'metadata' to find key persons involved in terrorist groups operating within the Colonies at the present time." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingUsing Metadata to Find Paul Revere

Estonia tells European Union to rely less on U.S.-based ‘cloud’ storage

"IT hub Estonia on Wednesday urged the European Union to rely less on US firms for 'cloud' data storage, amid tensions over claims of US spying and data surveillance. 'Recent months have proven once again that it’s very important for Europe to have its own data clouds that operate strictly under European legislation,' Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves said in a statement. Dubbed E-stonia, the tiny state of just 1.3 million people is known for being a trailblazer in technology and is one of the most connected countries in the world. Tallinn is also home to the NATO cyber-defence centre." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingEstonia tells European Union to rely less on U.S.-based ‘cloud’ storage

France revealed to be spying on its citizens’ phone calls, email and social media

"France’s external intelligence agency spies on the French public’s phone calls, emails and social media activity in France and abroad. It said the DGSE intercepted signals from computers and telephones in France, and between France and other countries, although not the content of phone calls, to create a map of 'who is talking to whom'. It said the activity was illegal. 'All of our communications are spied on,' wrote Le Monde, which based its report on unnamed intelligence sources as well as remarks made publicly by intelligence officials. 'Emails, text messages, telephone records, access to Facebook and Twitter are then stored for years,' it said." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFrance revealed to be spying on its citizens’ phone calls, email and social media

Dates When PRISM Data Collection Began For Each Provider

"It looks like Apple didn't buckle and provide mass data to the USG until after the death of Steve Jobs. Microsoft, which is currently running an advertising campaign with the slogan 'Your privacy is our priority,' appears to be the first to have buckled, in December 2007. It was followed by Yahoo in 2008; Google, Facebook and PalTalk in 2009; YouTube in 2010; Skype and AOL in 2011; and Apple,which joined the program in 2012." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDates When PRISM Data Collection Began For Each Provider