Live data from Hacker News

NSA Collects 'Word for Word' Every Domestic Communication, Says Former Analyst

pbs.org

1–10 of 110 posts

Re: NSA Collects 'Word for Word' Every Domestic Communication, Says Former Analyst

#3
The "former analyst" in question is Russell Tice, who was terminated by the NSA in 2005 after "publicly urging Congress to pass stronger protections for federal intelligence agency whistleblowers facing retaliation" [1]. There's an interesting exchange from then-director of NSA special access programs Renee Seymour to Tice warning him against testifying on the NSA programs [2] about a half year later.

[1]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russ_Tice#Whistleblower [2]: http://www.fas.org/irp/news/2006/04/nsa010906.pdf

Re: NSA Collects 'Word for Word' Every Domestic Communication, Says Former Analyst

#4
post #2

No, says an unnamed NSA "colleague" of a former analyst. Say what you like about Snowden, but at least some of his claims have been backed up by evidence. What have these guys got? Why not name names?

A stay in a penitentiary helped managed by SAIC[1].

[1] http://www.alanco.com/news_040104.asp

Re: NSA Collects 'Word for Word' Every Domestic Communication, Says Former Analyst

#5
post #2

No, says an unnamed NSA "colleague" of a former analyst. Say what you like about Snowden, but at least some of his claims have been backed up by evidence. What have these guys got? Why not name names?

Because then they'll have to flee the country like that "traitor" Snowden?

Not saying it wouldn't be the right thing to do, but I am saying it would definitely come at a cost to them and their friends.

Re: NSA Collects 'Word for Word' Every Domestic Communication, Says Former Analyst

#6
post #2

No, says an unnamed NSA "colleague" of a former analyst. Say what you like about Snowden, but at least some of his claims have been backed up by evidence. What have these guys got? Why not name names?

"Why not name names?"

Because they can see what's happening to Snowden and Manning?

From my outside perspective, it seems Obama's "whistle blower" rhetoric was pure electioneering lies…

Re: NSA Collects 'Word for Word' Every Domestic Communication, Says Former Analyst

#7
They throw out the claim (~4:10) the facility in utah could store "about 100 years of the world's communications".

Has anyone done the math? How much could that facility store. If they were indeed recording word-for-word content, how many days/months/years could they store?

Re: NSA Collects 'Word for Word' Every Domestic Communication, Says Former Analyst

#8
Nice to see somebody pointing out the obvious bullshit regarding the Utah facility's real purpose (content storage, not metadata).

What kind of iron do you need to run NLP on a day's worth of content (let's limit "content" to voice transcriptions from phone calls)? Suppose I want to pick out "bomb" in near real-time? How many $billions for total information awareness?

Even the best algo is going to produce false positives. At nation scale, that is going to be a massive QA/QC effort.

Re: NSA Collects 'Word for Word' Every Domestic Communication, Says Former Analyst

#9

The "former analyst" in question is Russell Tice, who was terminated by the NSA in 2005 after "publicly urging Congress to pass stronger protections for federal intelligence agency whistleblowers facing retaliation" [1]. There's an interesting exchange from then-director of NSA special access programs Renee Seymour to Tice warning him against testifying on the NSA programs [2] about a half year later. [1]: http://en.…

That letter seems eminently reasonable to me.

Re: NSA Collects 'Word for Word' Every Domestic Communication, Says Former Analyst

#10

They throw out the claim (~4:10) the facility in utah could store "about 100 years of the world's communications". Has anyone done the math? How much could that facility store. If they were indeed recording word-for-word content, how many days/months/years could they store?

I think the metadata storage requirement is reasonable. These capabilities are already part of basic billing systems at the telcos, aren't they?
Post reply on HN