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FBI "Vacuum Cleaner" Sucks Up Americans' Internet Records
Cnet News reports:
The FBI appears to have adopted an invasive Internet surveillance technique that collects far more data on innocent Americans than previously has been disclosed.Instead of recording only what a particular suspect is doing, agents conducting investigations appear to be assembling the activities of thousands of Internet users at a time into massive databases, according to current and former officials. That database can subsequently be queried for names, e-mail addresses or keywords. . . .
"What they're doing is even worse than Carnivore," said Kevin Bankston, a staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation. . . "What they're doing is intercepting everyone and then choosing their targets."
. . . [Bankston said] the FBI is "collecting and apparently storing indefinitely the communications of thousands--if not hundreds of thousands--of innocent Americans in violation of the Wiretap Act and the 4th Amendment to the Constitution."
Comments (13)
ohiomeister wrote on January 30, 2007 5:08 PM:More great news from the Bush admin.
PanzerMensch wrote on January 30, 2007 5:28 PM:More and more like the Soviet Union every day.
ewastud wrote on January 30, 2007 9:48 PM:Any hackers out there who have the know-how to turn the tables on the FBI and let the public monitor their chatter, possibly about their corrupt and illegal behavior toward us, the public? If you have such abilities, I would encourage you to use them now.
Mark Richards wrote on January 30, 2007 10:06 PM:To do these things requires computing professionals.
Do they have no conscience?
Software and other engineering professionals have a codes of ethics, although in this case they've clearly been thrown out the window.
I should think, for a start, that anyone who is working on these projects and who are members of professional engineering groups be thrown out on their ass.
And those who are doing this work should be ashamed!
I have pledged, mostly to myself, the I will NEVER work on any project that benefits the current mal-administration and its illegal aims. There's no organization to join, that I know of, that has taken such a stand.
We need one.
Joseph wrote on January 31, 2007 12:35 AM:Whats wrong with you people?? What proof do you have that the FBI is "intercepting everyone" and choosing their targets? You are a sorry bunch of paranoid idealists. What one of you has ever been intercepted? NONE!!!!! If you hate the US so much why don't you go to your other place. Then see how much freedom you think you have.
FBI wrote on January 31, 2007 2:08 AM:Shut up, "Joseph". We know who you are and we know where you've been.
M wrote on January 31, 2007 7:34 AM:DOJ has officially called "bullshit" on this report. See http://news.com.com/2061-10796_3-6154934.html
Merrick wrote on January 31, 2007 11:53 AM:Are we still going to take the word of the DOJ as trustworthy, seeing as how they are firmly in the pockets of the Bush Regime?
As for Joseph's comments, anyone who isn't paranoid at this point needs to be committed. And when did
M wrote on January 31, 2007 12:50 PM:"idealist" become a slur?
Merrick, DOJ's response pretty openly challenges the sourcing of the story. It all but invites people to contact the law professor who supposedly disclosed the alleged program. It's not a question of taking DOJ's word if the named source didn't really say the things on which the story was based.
Richard L. Adlof wrote on January 31, 2007 12:56 PM:Oh crap . . . Where the heck did I leave that stack of FOIA Request forms . . . My wife is going to kick my posterior padded region if we get raided again cuz the snotty nature of my on-line posts.
Sigh.
Jamari wrote on January 31, 2007 11:33 PM:just wanted to say hi to all seen some names from the past and took a mental walk down memory lane.
nurtz wrote on February 1, 2007 2:31 PM:"Any hackers out there who have the know-how to turn the tables . . ."
You and all your friends should create free accounts at Hotmail, mail.com, etc, and start sending out thousands of emails containing just one name in the subject and body of the message: "Osama bin Laden" An enterprising soul could find out how to automate this, or better yet, use SPAMming tools to create millions of SPAM message with the same name. Talk about clogging the pipe with s**t! Yowsah!
Ezekiel wrote on February 4, 2007 2:37 PM:Just noticed that my home page needed correcting. Cheers, Dan.