The NSA slide you haven’t seen!

Recent debate over U.S. government surveillance has focused on the information that American technology companies secretly provide to the National Security Agency. But that is only one of the ways the NSA eavesdrops on international communications.

A classified NSA slide obtained by The Washington Post and published here for the first time lists “Two Types of Collection.”

One is PRISM, the NSA program that collects information from technology companies, which was first revealed in reports by the Post and Britain’s Guardian newspaper last month. The slide also shows a separate category labeled “Upstream,” described as accessing “communications on fiber cables and infrastructure as data flows past.”

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I made a comment at the beginning when Snowden's "leaks" and The Guardian story first came out. It was at that time I stated that these stories were all about informing the public that we are all being spied on by the government. A sort of, "...and what are you gonna do about it." It is the shot over the bow. The US government wants you to know this, otherwise Snowden would have been "Hastinged", if you know what I mean.

Yesterday, there was a post on ATS regarding how the American people had no right to know about the laws that were being secretly applied to eavesdrop and collect all of our communications. To me, it speaks to my original theory.

reply to post by GrantedBail

I'm not as aware about these things as I should be, but I have a couple of things you can clear up for me.

What is the Post doing, printing TS information? Does it seem as though our press picks and chooses which classified material it chooses to publish? They hold onto some things but release others. I wonder why.

Besides the (probably classified) code names, is there something here we didn't already know? I think all of the companies had been identified, and we've known for years that they get information from them. I also assumed that NSA could listen in as we were talking, if they wanted. Is that new?

I guess I'm just confused.

Their paranoia has devolved into a pathology.

I have not seen any terrorists in my neighborhood.

This is beyond anything they can justify.

There is no reason to fear the American people...Unless you removed American Idol.

The US gov cant do anything about it, they approved it.

The fact everyone knows about it is a mistake - only to the US gov the only mistake was not brainwashing Mr Snowden enough to stay quiet (aka they let a blabbermouth into the circle of secrets).

The very fact that US is demanding Mr Snowden and getting all angry about just paints them as guilty as everyone suspects.

Will they (the US gov) do anything?

At his point its entirely irrelevant, they got this far lying, covering their illegal and immoral activitys, would you know trust them if the NSA says its "sorry we plan to burn all the data and will be good from now on" ?!??!!? no. So where do they go from here?

I think "what's new" here is the fact that this is being talked about and admitted to in the public discourse and being reported by the MSM, which has not been the case up until this juncture. Now everyone here on ATS can say "well I've known this for years big deal", but everyone else who laughed at and scoffed at such "conspiracy theories" can not ignore them any longer.

I think that makes it a "big deal". Plus isn't there some small part of us that enjoys a: "I told you so" every now an again?

Originally posted by whyamIhere
Their paranoia has devolved into a pathology.

I have not seen any terrorists in my neighborhood.

This is beyond anything they can justify.

There is no reason to fear the American people...Unless you removed American Idol.

edit on 10-7-2013 by whyamIhere because: (no reason given)

That's the thing. They aren't only collecting information on US citizens here. Most international online data on the internet flows through the USA, and here we have a document stating that all of that information is filtered through and collected on two mechanisms. That includes the data of the Americans, Australians, Ecuadorians, Japanese, French and every other nationality on the planet.

And only now, Australia is getting an upgraded nationwide broadband...through the use of optic fibre cables...

Originally posted by charles1952
reply to post by GrantedBail

 

I'm not as aware about these things as I should be, but I have a couple of things you can clear up for me.

Will do.

What is the Post doing, printing TS information? Does it seem as though our press picks and chooses which classified material it chooses to publish? They hold onto some things but release others. I wonder why.

It is the role of journalists to keep the government accountable. They act as the watch dog; ensuring that the government is not breaking the law or violating human rights. Journalists are meant to report on such things.

As for withholding specific information; that is to do with what is newsworthy, but what also falls out of line of ethics.

If something is unethical to publish, or if it is not newsworthy, than it won't be published.

In this case, some of the withheld documents may indeed have placed national security at risk, meaning that they would not, and will not be published.

Besides the (probably classified) code names, is there something here we didn't already know? I think all of the companies had been identified, and we've known for years that they get information from them. I also assumed that NSA could listen in as we were talking, if they wanted. Is that new?

I guess I'm just confused.

While we all suspected it, it has only now been officially confirmed.

I would argue that this further evidences that these programs are intended to perpetuate a level of control and influence over the global landscape that the US has enjoyed post WWII to the present.

The whole purpose of data collection is to be well informed and to make decisions based on said information to facilitate a course of action or to reach a predefined goal.

This type of information collection, especially because up until recently was secret and the types of targets, would seem to suggest the usage is to maintain an advantage not only on foreign/domestic terror, but to route out subterfuge or dissidence on the home/allied front to maintain control.

This doesn't look like a slide that's part of a professional business communication.

It looks like something a high school kid put together.

Seriously? An NSA slide has to have all those logos of companies that they're tracking at the top?

I call bull on this one.

Originally posted by whyamIhere
Their paranoia has devolved into a pathology.

I have not seen any terrorists in my neighborhood.

This is beyond anything they can justify.

There is no reason to fear the American people...Unless you removed American Idol.

edit on 10-7-2013 by whyamIhere because: (no reason given)

]

I'm not condoning what the NSA are doing by any means.

But your statement "I've not seen any terrorists in my neighbourhood" is asinine. Just because there are none in your vicinity doesn't mean that there aren't any.

Do you think just because there aren't any Ferraris of Lamborghinis in your neighbourhood that there aren't any of those, either?

Brings to mind the old kids joke "Would you like to buy my elephant repellant? 'There aren't any elephants here' Yes, works well, doesn't it"?

I'm still left to believe that if the US wanted OBL, they would have killed him shortly after the attacks.

Same with Snowden. They would have silenced/killed him directly after the leak, and silenced his message through their control of MSM.

This plays a role that most can't see, from what I can tell.

It's instigating.

Originally posted by babybunnies
This doesn't look like a slide that's part of a professional business communication.

It looks like something a high school kid put together.

Seriously? An NSA slide has to have all those logos of companies that they're tracking at the top?

I call bull on this one.

You'd really like to believe the US Government is masterful and all knowing, and skilled at that?

The government is run by apes, dude. Besides, the slides get the point across.

I wonder if a few years back when those undersea cables were being "accidentally cut" every other week and entire countries (usually in the ME) were temporarily knocked offline, if they weren't actually down there installing some of that "upstream" gear.

Just another one of those things that make me go "hmmmmmm...." ya know.

processing!!

Originally posted by charles1952
reply to post by GrantedBail

 

I'm not as aware about these things as I should be, but I have a couple of things you can clear up for me.

What is the Post doing, printing TS information? Does it seem as though our press picks and chooses which classified material it chooses to publish? They hold onto some things but release others. I wonder why.

Besides the (probably classified) code names, is there something here we didn't already know? I think all of the companies had been identified, and we've known for years that they get information from them. I also assumed that NSA could listen in as we were talking, if they wanted. Is that new?

I guess I'm just confused.

As the OP indicated here.....the POST is in bed with the Obama Administration.

If it's in the POST....Obama wanted it there. A shot across the bow indeed.....which came out at the same time they planted the question for the IRS hearings telling us that they profiled and picked on right-wing Conservative groups applying for non-profit status.

...what are you going to do about it......indeed.

reply to post by babybunnies
you can call it BS if you want to keep your head in the sand like a good sheepole you are to be, but as for me i like to know the facts www.washingtonpost.com... from the link

NSA slides explain the PRISM data-collection program
Published: June 6, 2013, Updated July 10, 2013

The top-secret PRISM program allows the U.S. intelligence community to gain access from nine Internet companies to a wide range of digital information, including e-mails and stored data, on foreign targets operating outside the United States. The program is court-approved but does not require individual warrants. Instead, it operates under a broader authorization from federal judges who oversee the use of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Some documents describing the program were first released by The Washington Post on June 6. The newly released documents below give additional details about how the program operates, including the levels of review and supervisory control at the NSA and FBI. The documents also show how the program interacts with the Internet companies. These slides, annotated by The Post, represent a selection from the overall document, and certain portions are redacted. Read related article.

this is nothing new NOVA spy factory video.pbs.org... and frontline www.pbs.org... will show you all the in and outs of spying, drones, and camps, that we are to not know about, this is just one of 100's if not 1000's of such programs

But your statement "I've not seen any terrorists in my neighbourhood" is asinine. Just because there are none in your vicinity doesn't mean that there aren't any.

reply to post by babybunnies


Wow, did you miss my point.

If you are counting on the government to protect you?

I would submit those poor people killed on 911 were thinking the same thing.

What happened to the shoe bomber....Nearly beaten to death by passengers.

The underwear idiot...Beaten severely by passengers.

My point is sweeping and unchecked data collection is not going to save you.

What good is "freedom" if you don't have "privacy" to go with it? --- So you are free to live however you want, but with the caveat that everything you do gets snooped on and stored forever.

This is NOT my idea of "freedom" or "progress".

Originally posted by tjack
I wonder if a few years back when those undersea cables were being "accidentally cut" every other week and entire countries (usually in the ME) were temporarily knocked offline, if they weren't actually down there installing some of that "upstream" gear.

Just another one of those things that make me go "hmmmmmm...." ya know.

I'd imagine you're correct

Originally posted by whyamIhere
Their paranoia has devolved into a pathology.

I have not seen any terrorists in my neighborhood.

This is beyond anything they can justify.

There is no reason to fear the American people...Unless you removed American Idol.

edit on 10-7-2013 by whyamIhere because: (no reason given)

I don't believe they are doing this just because they can. I think something big is on the way that is going to affect everyone in ways they cannot imagine. I think the government has every reason in the world to fear the American people. We have a hatred for tyrants even if they are on our own soil and lawfully elected.
The worst fears of 1984 are being surpassed by the current administration by leaps and bounds. All this is for a reason and terrorism is just a smoke screen.