NSA collecting phone records of millions of Verizon customers daily

[BIGUN 1,062]

Along those lines...

Balancing Security and Liberty in the Age of Big Data

A very large Internet company once had the noble impulse to share some of its data with the research community. It made three months of log files from its search service available to all. The company took many steps to preserve privacy, removing personal information and randomizing ID numbers in the belief that this would make it impossible to identify any of the more than 650,000 customers who’d used the service. But Internet hobbyists, professional researchers, and journalists were able to ferret out many of the users. No. 4417749, for example, was a Georgia widow. Another user appeared to be planning a murder. Today, the AOL (AOL) Search Log Scandal is remembered as one of the weirdest missteps in Internet history.

That took place an epoch ago, way back in 2006. Now anyone with a few dollars and a knack for computers can rent some cloud capacity and set up a stack of totally free technologies to deal with enormous amounts of data. Managing this data is a key part of functioning as a large Internet company. If you’re the intelligence apparatus of a global superpower, and your job is to keep an eye on people who are contemplating terrible acts, this data is incredibly valuable. You’re going to do what you can to get your hands on it. Once you do, you can employ beautiful, supple pieces of software—some with point-and-click interfaces and little icons—to help you understand what you’re seeing. It’s powerful stuff.

That’s essentially what’s been going on. From a series of leaks to the Guardian newspaper we’ve learned that Verizon (VZ) turns over logs of all its calls—the numbers, locations, and other “metadata,” but not audio from calls themselves—to the National Security Agency every day. Thanks to a 29-year-old Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) consultant named Edward Snowden, we also learned of a program called Prism. The details are uncertain: At first it seemed that companies such as Google (GOOG), Apple (AAPL), Facebook (FB), and Microsoft (MSFT) had given the NSA open access to all of their user information. Now it seems that these companies are merely streamlining the way that Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act requests work, setting up a secured drop-point service for the NSA to use. Of course, this implies that there are so many requests that a special expediting system is needed—and since we don’t know how much data is being shared, nor which is domestic or international, the leak about the NSA program has become a global sensation.

Public debate about how to strike a balance between security and liberty in the age of global terrorism and Big Data is long overdue. And despite the insistence of the country’s elected leaders that the NSA’s activities pose no threat to law-abiding citizens, we can’t merely shrug off the details. The total absorption of our telecommunications system into the national security apparatus should give all of us pause. But it shouldn’t be shocking. That’s because the vast digital trove of secrets amassed by the government isn’t a secret.

Amid all the fury over the Snowden leak, it’s easy to forget that when asked in a March 12 hearing if the NSA collects “any type of data at all” on millions of Americans, the director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, said, “No sir, not wittingly.” Later, on NBC, Clapper offered this explanation: “What I was thinking of is looking at the Dewey Decimal numbers of those books in the metaphorical library.” Collecting data, he said, “would mean taking the books off the shelf, opening it up, and reading it.”

In other words, the NSA is building a giant card catalog of human beings, many of whom are Americans. They’re not actually collecting their conversations, or the people themselves, but all the data about their conversations—not the data but the metadata.

It’s entirely possible that Clapper believes he has drawn a sensible ethical line here. Yet as that AOL case in 2006 made clear, metadata can be revealing. Search histories or call logs like those the NSA ingests and presumably stores are hardly the same as Dewey Decimal numbers. They’re more like the index in the back of a book. What the NSA seems to be doing is treating hundreds of millions of people like open books and indexing them: Who are they, who do they know, where have they been, and so forth.

SOURCE: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-06-13/balancing-security-and-liberty-in-the-age-of-big-data

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[ryoder 1,391]

BIGUN

You & Quade are right; I'm wrong.

SB3427 in 2010, sponsored by Schumer & Cornyn, would have banned them, but it did not pass.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[kallend 1,635]

RonD1120

Well, for one reason, twelve years ago we had a president who was a leader and we trusted him. Times change and time changes things.

The good news, we aren't paranoid. They really are out to get us.

He could certainly be trusted to lead us into a war based on false pretenses and outright lies. A war whose costs exceed $1 Trillion and still rising. An unnecessary war that cost over 4,000 American lives and tens of thousands of civilian lives.

And he led us into the deepest recession since the 1930s.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[rushmc 18]

< false pretenses and outright lies. >

Something you are very very familiar with

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[Gravitymaster 0]

Worst case of BDS I have ever seen.

[turtlespeed 212]

kallend

***Well, for one reason, twelve years ago we had a president who was a leader and we trusted him. Times change and time changes things.

The good news, we aren't paranoid. They really are out to get us.

He could certainly be trusted to lead us into a war based on false pretenses and outright lies. A war whose costs exceed $1 Trillion and still rising. An unnecessary war that cost over 4,000 American lives and tens of thousands of civilian lives.

And he led us into the deepest recession since the 1930s.

How many more hundreds of thousands were/are you willing to accept being murdered?

Hundreds of thousands of Kurds fled the area, yet it is estimated that up to 182,000 were killed during the Anfal campaign. Many people consider the Anfal campaign an attempt at genocide.

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

[kallend 1,635]

turtlespeed

******Well, for one reason, twelve years ago we had a president who was a leader and we trusted him. Times change and time changes things.

The good news, we aren't paranoid. They really are out to get us.

He could certainly be trusted to lead us into a war based on false pretenses and outright lies. A war whose costs exceed $1 Trillion and still rising. An unnecessary war that cost over 4,000 American lives and tens of thousands of civilian lives.

And he led us into the deepest recession since the 1930s.

How many more hundreds of thousands were/are you willing to accept being murdered?

Hundreds of thousands of Kurds fled the area, yet it is estimated that up to 182,000 were killed during the Anfal campaign. Many people consider the Anfal campaign an attempt at genocide.

Who made GWB the World's Chief of Police?

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[kallend 1,635]

rushmc

< false pretenses and outright lies. >

Something you are very very familiar with

Are you calling me a liar?

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[Gravitymaster 0]

kallend

***

Something you are very very familiar with

Are you calling me a liar?

Are you asking if he wants a piece of you? Huh?

[kelpdiver 2]

turtlespeed

How many more hundreds of thousands were/are you willing to accept being murdered?

Hundreds of thousands of Kurds fled the area, yet it is estimated that up to 182,000 were killed during the Anfal campaign. Many people consider the Anfal campaign an attempt at genocide.

It would be another dramatic revision of history to say that Bush sold the second war on Iraq to the people in order to save the Kurds. No one cared...Kurds look suspiciously like those people who attacked us. It was all about WMDs.

And we could have achieved that requirement - ensuring they didn't exist and ousting Hussein for far fewer lives and dollars if we had left in 2004.

[kallend 1,635]

joelgrus.com/2013/06/09/post-prism-data-science-venn-diagram/

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[RonD1120 58]

kallend

***Well, for one reason, twelve years ago we had a president who was a leader and we trusted him. Times change and time changes things.

The good news, we aren't paranoid. They really are out to get us.

He could certainly be trusted to lead us into a war based on false pretenses and outright lies. A war whose costs exceed $1 Trillion and still rising. An unnecessary war that cost over 4,000 American lives and tens of thousands of civilian lives.

And he led us into the deepest recession since the 1930s.

That is one analytical opinion. The fact remains that many, many people at all levels of society and international government trusted him and followed him. President George W. Bush was/is a leader.

BHO controls by coercion and deception. He has turned distrust into an art form. People at all levels fear him for his acquired power. I was raised to believe those people are called tyrants.

Look for the shiny things of God revealed by the Holy Spirit. They only last for an instant but it is a Holy Instant. Let your soul absorb them.

[winsor 186]

RonD1120

******Well, for one reason, twelve years ago we had a president who was a leader and we trusted him. Times change and time changes things.

The good news, we aren't paranoid. They really are out to get us.

He could certainly be trusted to lead us into a war based on false pretenses and outright lies. A war whose costs exceed $1 Trillion and still rising. An unnecessary war that cost over 4,000 American lives and tens of thousands of civilian lives.

And he led us into the deepest recession since the 1930s.

That is one analytical opinion. The fact remains that many, many people at all levels of society and international government trusted him and followed him. President George W. Bush was/is a leader.

BHO controls by coercion and deception. He has turned distrust into an art form. People at all levels fear him for his acquired power. I was raised to believe those people are called tyrants.

Ron, trying to decide which president is more incompetent is a very tough call.

I initially gave W the benefit of the doubt, assuming he played the village idiot to sucker people into underestimating him. Unfortunately, it turns out that he is much, much dumber than anyone would have guessed. A bull in a china shop is a study in grace and elegance compared to his leadership style.

BHO tipped his hand early in the game. His writings included his admiration of communists/marxists in his youth, which tells me that he has an idiot streak of his own. As a teenager I read "The Communist Manifesto" and visited various Socialist Workers Paradises, and never got past the impression that it was all tripe. If someone says they used to be a marxist, it is as if they said that they used to be gay - even though they claim to be on to other things, the fact that it ever had any appeal to them says it all.

BHO appears on the surface to be more erudite, but in practice is given to brute force and ignorance on a par with his predecessor. The incumbent's genius is strictly limited to the politics of getting elected; we would be in great shape if his skill at governing was a tenth as impressive.

Both presidents have had opportunities to achieve great results with deft orchestration of the situation at hand, and both have completely blown it on an epic scale.

The Presidency should not qualify one for the Special Olympics, but you would never know it on the basis of these two.


BSBD,

Winsor

[DanG 1]

Quote

That is one analytical opinion. The fact remains that many, many people at all levels of society and international government trusted him and followed him. President Clinton was/is a leader.

GWB controls by coercion and deception. He has turned distrust into an art form. People at all levels fear him for his acquired power. I was raised to believe those people are called tyrants.

During Bush's Presidency, there were people here posting almost verbatim what you just wrote, except they changed the names to the above.

I'm not saying I agree with you or posters of the past, but your dislike of Obama doesn't make him evil and more than other poster's dislike of GWB made him evil.

- Dan G

[RonD1120 58]

winsor

Ron, trying to decide which president is more incompetent is a very tough call.

I initially gave W the benefit of the doubt, assuming he played the village idiot to sucker people into underestimating him. Unfortunately, it turns out that he is much, much dumber than anyone would have guessed. A bull in a china shop is a study in grace and elegance compared to his leadership style.

BHO tipped his hand early in the game. His writings included his admiration of communists/marxists in his youth, which tells me that he has an idiot streak of his own. As a teenager I read "The Communist Manifesto" and visited various Socialist Workers Paradises, and never got past the impression that it was all tripe. If someone says they used to be a marxist, it is as if they said that they used to be gay - even though they claim to be on to other things, the fact that it ever had any appeal to them says it all.

BHO appears on the surface to be more erudite, but in practice is given to brute force and ignorance on a par with his predecessor. The incumbent's genius is strictly limited to the politics of getting elected; we would be in great shape if his skill at governing was a tenth as impressive.

Both presidents have had opportunities to achieve great results with deft orchestration of the situation at hand, and both have completely blown it on an epic scale.

The Presidency should not qualify one for the Special Olympics, but you would never know it on the basis of these two.


BSBD,

Winsor

I totally agree with your assessment. W turned out to be a great disappointment to many, including me. From 2001 through the landing on the deck of the aircraft carrier in 2003 I was giving him applause.

As it stands now, I am totally uncertain about our government in total. What can we trust? Who can we trust? Why should we trust? How can we trust? Where is an area of trust? When Obamacare kicks in next January, what then?

My wife and I are moving to a small mountain community where people are bound together for mutual survival. We have ingratiated ourselves into a local church through volunteer work with members of like minded patriots.

God bless you, stay strong.

Look for the shiny things of God revealed by the Holy Spirit. They only last for an instant but it is a Holy Instant. Let your soul absorb them.

[kallend 1,635]

RonD1120

I totally agree with your assessment. W turned out to be a great disappointment to many, including me. From 2001 through the landing on the deck of the aircraft carrier in 2003 I was giving him applause.

.

So you were taken in by the lies and deception over the WMDs.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[rehmwa 2]

winsor

I initially gave W the benefit of the doubt, assuming he played the village idiot to sucker people into underestimating him. Unfortunately, it turns out that he is much, much dumber than anyone would have guessed. A bull in a china shop is a study in grace and elegance compared to his leadership style.

BHO tipped his hand early in the game. His writings included his admiration of communists/marxists in his youth, which tells me that he has an idiot streak of his own. As a teenager I read "The Communist Manifesto" and visited various Socialist Workers Paradises, and never got past the impression that it was all tripe. If someone says they used to be a marxist, it is as if they said that they used to be gay - even though they claim to be on to other things, the fact that it ever had any appeal to them says it all.

BHO appears on the surface to be more erudite, but in practice is given to brute force and ignorance on a par with his predecessor. The incumbent's genius is strictly limited to the politics of getting elected; we would be in great shape if his skill at governing was a tenth as impressive.

Both presidents have had opportunities to achieve great results with deft orchestration of the situation at hand, and both have completely blown it on an epic scale.

The Presidency should not qualify one for the Special Olympics, but you would never know it on the basis of these two.

Best analysis ever !!!

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[BIGUN 1,062]

ryoder

***

You & Quade are right; I'm wrong.

SB3427 in 2010, sponsored by Schumer & Cornyn, would have banned them, but it did not pass.

I was being sarcastic.

Quade's usual rhetorical slap approach was CSI 101 amateur-ish and at best only delays the inevitable.

There is no such thing as a "true" burner phone.

Just ways to make it a little more difficult for some telecomm State University graduate at one of the carriers and even less difficult for the 22 year old MIT graduate at FBI/NSA.

It's kinda like saying that an anonymous proxy server is really anonymous.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[jcd11235 0]

BIGUN

There is no such thing as a "true" burner phone.

Yes, there is, and they are trivial to obtain. You were doing much better when you acknowledged that you were wrong. That showed class and integrity, right up until you claimed sarcasm.

Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

[RonD1120 58]

kallend

***

I totally agree with your assessment. W turned out to be a great disappointment to many, including me. From 2001 through the landing on the deck of the aircraft carrier in 2003 I was giving him applause.

.

So you were taken in by the lies and deception over the WMDs.

Yes, right along with Tony Blair, et. al. My interest was in retaliation and destruction.

Look for the shiny things of God revealed by the Holy Spirit. They only last for an instant but it is a Holy Instant. Let your soul absorb them.

[DanG 1]

Quote

My interest was in retaliation and destruction.

Retaliation against Iraq? For what?

- Dan G

[RonD1120 58]

DanG

Quote

That is one analytical opinion. The fact remains that many, many people at all levels of society and international government trusted him and followed him. President Clinton was/is a leader.

GWB controls by coercion and deception. He has turned distrust into an art form. People at all levels fear him for his acquired power. I was raised to believe those people are called tyrants.

During Bush's Presidency, there were people here posting almost verbatim what you just wrote, except they changed the names to the above.

I'm not saying I agree with you or posters of the past, but your dislike of Obama doesn't make him evil and more than other poster's dislike of GWB made him evil.

No argument except that BHO was tutored by a Marxist, his mother, and a Communist, Frank Marshall Davis. Those of that philosophy were the declared enemy when I was in the military. That training remains paramount. What I am witnessing is consistent with how I was trained.

Look for the shiny things of God revealed by the Holy Spirit. They only last for an instant but it is a Holy Instant. Let your soul absorb them.

[RonD1120 58]

DanG

Quote

My interest was in retaliation and destruction.

Retaliation against Iraq? For what?

You have to be kidding, right. I met many of the Gulf War Warriors in 1991. As far as I was concerned we were just finished the job started then.

Look for the shiny things of God revealed by the Holy Spirit. They only last for an instant but it is a Holy Instant. Let your soul absorb them.

[aphid 0]

RonD1120

My interest was in retaliation and destruction.

Apparently both you and Mr. Bush must have missed this one:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+12%3A19&version=KJV

[RonD1120 58]

aphid

***My interest was in retaliation and destruction.

Apparently both you and Mr. Bush must have missed this one:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+12%3A19&version=KJV

I am aware that He frequently assigns the task to SOCOM.

Look for the shiny things of God revealed by the Holy Spirit. They only last for an instant but it is a Holy Instant. Let your soul absorb them.