Live data from Hacker News

AT&T has a fiberoptic splitter copying our data to NSA

eff.org

121–130 of 233 posts

Re: AT&T has a fiberoptic splitter copying our data to NSA

#121
post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Vote, for one thing. Geez. How, difficult is that? Oh wait, you guys only have one option laid down as only two parties... tough. Before you start to disagree, name one candidate that had "end patriotic act" on their government plan.

As I recall, Kucinich, Gravel, and Paul all did.

The support of wingnuts like Kucinich and Paul guarantees that an issue will be ignored by 99.8% of the country.

Re: AT&T has a fiberoptic splitter copying our data to NSA

#122
post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not to nitpick but the article says that the sniffing is on "traffic to and from AT&T customers". So it is not clear whether this applies to all traffic through AT&T routers, or only traffic to and from AT&T customers.

This applies to a large majority of traffic in and to, and even through, the United States. Because of the way traffic 'finds the quickest (or best) route possible' you're almost guaranteed to pass through one of their points of presence. Since this article was published it's likely that other providers were pushed into doing the same thing. If I'm not mistaken, there was even an exec. shake-up at Verizon as a result…

Verizon has claimed that their disclosure of customer's private data is protected by the first amendment.

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2007/05/verizon-says...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=...

Re: AT&T has a fiberoptic splitter copying our data to NSA

#124
post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As I recall, Kucinich, Gravel, and Paul all did.

The support of wingnuts like Kucinich and Paul guarantees that an issue will be ignored by 99.8% of the country.

Actually, if Kucinich and Paul agree on something, it's probably worth listening to.

Re: AT&T has a fiberoptic splitter copying our data to NSA

#125
post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Besides using SSH and VPN more, the only thing I can do is avoid ATT. I was on T-Mobile for years (out of ATT spite) until Verizon got the iPhone and I jumped within the week. I also spent a lot more money on internet using alternatives to ATT DSL (although I doubt my information was more secure from that choice).

I'm guessing those other big companies are just as bad, however. Might not have the facts yet, but being paranoid leads me to think that way....

I feel the same. What we would need is a telecommunication company that puts the respect of privacy as one of its core goals (think Zappos), and not just in the boilerplate license agreements. Although entering that arena has high entry costs, it seems like a huge demand for such a service exists.

Re: AT&T has a fiberoptic splitter copying our data to NSA

#126
post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the point is government that is not necessarily led by a single person. Though the president of the US is the 'leader,' he does share power with the Supreme Court and Congress. Just because everyone likes to point to the president when things go wrong doesn't mean there aren't others that share in the blame... The current problem with the system is that: 1) the Federal government has grown too large, and 2) t…

May I suggest that the current US political debate is virulently polarizing and unproductive? Perhaps the issue Good Governance vs Bad Governance would be effective/useful? (as opposed to the current axis of big vs small) As was said by Deng Xiapong "it doesn't matter if the cat is white or black.."

Joe's Good Governance is Bob's Bad Governance. People fundamentally differ on what the government should do; there's no "right answer" that everyone could agree on if only they'd sit down and discuss it reasonably.

Re: AT&T has a fiberoptic splitter copying our data to NSA

#127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My father-in-law said exactly that to me. I wanted to reach out and smack him. Unfortunately, it isn't just a "mental copout", either. He is a very intelligent person who has arrived at a conclusion that the government oversight is OK because he has nothing to hide and (I have inferred) he is very afraid of those who do have something to hide.

I bet your father-in-law wouldn't take too kindly to Government workers taking a look at his wife naked when they felt like it or recording (if you'll forgive me) their ahem marital moments. Privacy is a human requirement, as evidenced by the deprivation of privacy as a punishment in prisons, and is much more than protection of those with something to hide.

Privacy seems more like a cultural thing... that doesn't mean that being deprived of it can't be effective as a punishment. In any case, we'd better hope it's a cultural need and not a human need, since it's essentially going away, and I can't think of anything short of the collapse of civilization that could prevent that.

Re: AT&T has a fiberoptic splitter copying our data to NSA

#128
post #124
post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The support of wingnuts like Kucinich and Paul guarantees that an issue will be ignored by 99.8% of the country.

Actually, if Kucinich and Paul agree on something, it's probably worth listening to.

I'd take government by a diverse group of wingnuts who enact the laws they all agree on, over government by a homogeneous group of centrists any day.

Re: AT&T has a fiberoptic splitter copying our data to NSA

#129
post #82
post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Suspecting as much

http://vimeo.com/11303353

Not sure what your point is, here. I listened to it, and it was very interesting, but the speaker has actually implemented encrypted communications on Android, so he clearly isn't too worried about it being poisoned.

Re: AT&T has a fiberoptic splitter copying our data to NSA

#130

Is this why the at&t+T-Mobile merger is being approved?

I'm willing to bet that any anti-trust issues that are brought up will be quietly squashed in the name of (A) campaign contributions and (B) increasing the size of the AT&T dragnet.
Post reply on HN