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Whistleblower Binney says the NSA has dossiers on nearly every US citizen

networkworld.com

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Re: Whistleblower Binney says the NSA has dossiers on nearly every US citizen

#61

Post by ZoFreX »

bobsy wrote: post #27

If this is true doesn't it mean that Bin Laden won the war on terror? Every time I go to the airport I think this. Those full body scanners? Thanks to Bin Laden, now you practically get strip searched for every flight. You have to take off your shoes. You cannot take drinks on a plane. You then have everyone on edge no matter where you go. You and a friend play CounterStrike. You get on the bus and start talking abou…

Bin Laden's aim was to push the US into a war that would bankrupt them. I'd call that mission accomplished.

Re: Whistleblower Binney says the NSA has dossiers on nearly every US citizen

#63

Post by dhx »

waiwai933 wrote: post #9

Ethics, morality and legality aside, I'd be really curious to see what information is actually stored in these "dossiers", besides (presumably) one's name, address, and other details that other branches of the government legitimately have.

There is no need to guess—look at the screenshots and screencasts at:

http://www.palantir.com

Re: Whistleblower Binney says the NSA has dossiers on nearly every US citizen

#64

Post by unimpressive »

snambi wrote: post #6

Sure, they have all data about someone. But, what is the use? It is like searching a needle in a haystack.

This attitude got plenty of usenet posters in trouble. [0]

[0]: Exhibit A; http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?hl=en&lr=&safe=o...

Re: Whistleblower Binney says the NSA has dossiers on nearly every US citizen

#65

Post by zcid »

nl wrote: post #32
hooande wrote: post #29

About ten years ago, the NSA got direct access to every phone call, text and email sent via AT&T from the west coast to asia. Every. Single. Message. Set up shop next to the servers and just copied all of the data coming across. I think that by "dossiers" this guy meant "social network information from communication logs". They can start with your number (any number) and see who communicates with it. And then see who…

And drive 30 minutes from your home, and use a proxy server to connect to the internet I'd love to hear some details of what you are proposing here. Because right now it doesn't sound like you know what you are talking about. If it makes you feel any better, facebook has a similar level of information about you and they haven't done much harm with it. Um. No they don't.

Your location can be triangulated even if you don't use a cell phone registered to yourself.

Using a VPN, you reduce the chances that your internet use will be traced back to you.

Facebook has a staggering amount of personal information about most of their users. While not necessarily on the same level as personal phone calls, it should still be a concern of anyone that uses social networks.

Try to actually make a case next time you post. Saying "Nuh uh, nuh uh" over and over makes you look like an ass.

Re: Whistleblower Binney says the NSA has dossiers on nearly every US citizen

#66

Post by ilaksh »

pyoung wrote: post #59
ilaksh wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're right, that was an insulting way to put it. Sorry if I offended people unnecessarily. I have made similar comments before, hoping for some type of discussion, and had my comment buried so that no one would even see it, which makes discussion impossible. So I was actually hoping that my comment would somehow remain visible. This is really about what people believe, which isn't something you can reason about. Yo…

Whoa!!! Hold on there a second: "This is really about what people believe, which isn't something you can reason about." I would hope that reason and logic take precedent over existing belief. At least among the somewhat rational subset of individuals that tend to lurk in these corners.

I think its possible for reason and logic to take precedent over existing belief, but like I said it takes extraordinary circumstances, no matter how rational you are.

That's just the nature of beliefs. They are default terminals in our reality comprehension frameworks. Not easily replaced.

Re: Whistleblower Binney says the NSA has dossiers on nearly every US citizen

#68

Post by javert »

chao- wrote: post #47

Speaking as a youngin' who grew up with the internet (US citizen and just now 24), I've never expected any privacy for as long as I can remember. Of any sort. Only an odd sense of my insignificance providing a minor smokescreen. I accept that if I ever obtained any real notoriety, all would be laid bare in due course. When I read articles like this, I don't wonder if anyone is surprised by these things anymore. I wou…

I'm probably about a year and a half older than you, a US citizen, and I don't feel that way at all. The government used to not be spying on me. Then, in the last decade, the chance that it would started to rise. In the last 5 years, it became likely. Now, with this story, if it's true, we know that it's almost certainly spying on me. (And to clarify, I'm not a criminal or anything remotely criminal in any way, shape or form.)

Right now, spying on me.

Now, it may just be recording the info and looking for triggers. Wonder if this post will be a trigger. It's definitely possible.

So there has been a massive ramp-up in unethical electronic spying, and unlike you, I have (for some reason) been alert to it.

Re: Whistleblower Binney says the NSA has dossiers on nearly every US citizen

#69

Post by tristanj »

nl wrote: post #32
hooande wrote: post #29

About ten years ago, the NSA got direct access to every phone call, text and email sent via AT&T from the west coast to asia. Every. Single. Message. Set up shop next to the servers and just copied all of the data coming across. I think that by "dossiers" this guy meant "social network information from communication logs". They can start with your number (any number) and see who communicates with it. And then see who…

And drive 30 minutes from your home, and use a proxy server to connect to the internet I'd love to hear some details of what you are proposing here. Because right now it doesn't sound like you know what you are talking about. If it makes you feel any better, facebook has a similar level of information about you and they haven't done much harm with it. Um. No they don't.

On your second point, here's incomplete list of data that facebook stores about its users. Note that they keep all wall posts, messages, tags, and photos even after the user deletes it from his profile

http://europe-v-facebook.org/EN/Data_Pool/data_pool.html

Of course, they won't have any of your data if you don't have an account, which might be what you're trying to get at.

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