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http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/06/us-tech-giants-nsa-data

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/06/us-tech-giants-nsa-data

NSA taps in to internet giants' systems to mine user data, secret files reveal

Top secret PRISM program claims direct access to servers of firms including Google, Facebook and Apple

Companies deny any knowledge of program in operation since 2007

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Two different versions of the PRISM scandal were emerging on Thursday with Silicon Valley executives denying all knowledge of the top secret program that gives the National Security Agency direct access to the internet giants' servers.

The eavesdropping program is detailed in the form of PowerPoint slides in a leaked NSA document, seen and authenticated by the Guardian, which states that it is based on "legally-compelled collection" but operates with the "assistance of communications providers in the US."

Each of the 41 slides in the document displays prominently the corporate logos of the tech companies claimed to be taking part in PRISM.

However, senior executives from the internet companies expressed surprise and shock and insisted that no direct access to servers had been offered to any government agency.

The top-secret NSA briefing presentation set out details of the PRISM program, which it said granted access to records such as emails, chat conversations, voice calls, documents and more. The presentation the listed dates when document collection began for each company, and said PRISM enabled "direct access from the servers of these US service providers: Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, Facebook, Paltalk, AOL, Skype, YouTube, Apple".

Senior officials with knowledge of the situation within the tech giants admitted to being confused by the NSA revelations, and said if such data collection was taking place, it was without companies' knowledge.

An Apple spokesman said: "We have never heard of PRISM. We do not provide any government agency with direct access to our servers and any agency requesting customer data must get a court order," he said.

Joe Sullivan, Facebook's chief security officer, said it did not provide government organisation with direct access to Facebook servers. "When Facebook is asked for data or information about specific individuals, we carefully scrutinise any such request for compliance with all applicable laws, and provide information only to the extent required by law."

A Google spokesman also said it did not provide officials with access to its servers. "Google cares deeply about the security of our users' data. We disclose user data to government in accordance with the law, and we review all such requests carefully. From time to time, people allege that we have created a government 'backdoor' into our systems, but Google does not have a 'back door' for the government to access private user data."

Microsoft said it only turned over data when served with a court order: "We provide customer data only when we receive a legally binding order or subpoena to do so, and never on a voluntary basis. In addition we only ever comply with orders for requests about specific accounts or identifiers. If the government has a broader voluntary national security program to gather customer data we don't participate in it."

A Yahoo spokesman said: "Yahoo! takes users' privacy very seriously. We do not provide the government with direct access to our servers, systems, or network.

Within the tech companies, and talking on off the record, executives said they had never even heard of PRISM until contacted by the Guardian. Executives said that they were regularly contacted by law officials and responded to all subpoenas but they denied ever having heard of a scheme like PRISM, an information programme internal the documents state has been running since 2007.

Executives said they were "confused" by the claims in the NSA document. "We operate under what we are required to do by law," said one. "We receive requests for information all the time. Say about a potential terrorist threat or after the Boston bombing. But we have systems in place for that." The executive claimed, as did others, that the most senior figures in their organisation had never heard of PRISM or any scheme like it.

The chief executive of transparency NGO Index on Censorship, Kirsty Hughes, remarked on Twitter that the contradiction seemed to leave two options: "Back door or front?" she posted

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this story seems to be legit. i had my doubts considering the unequivocal statements of denial from google, microsoft etc..

i don't suppose it should be any surprise. after september 11th the US government made it pretty clear that security trumps the rights of their citizenry to privacy and civil liberties. the companies in question probably have little or no recourse, they are court ordered to hand over their data. i still find their public response to the leak a bit contradictory but there could be a simple explanation for that.

edit: lol september 11th not september '11

Edited by ThunderIdeal

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The big corps are under oath not to say. There are secret court orders regarding secret laws we haven't even heard of, Obama said all the Senators knew, and didn't let on because they weren't allowed to. However, he did say we should trust them because they were voted in by the American People.

It's a complete totalitarian state, and we are just beginning to see the evidence for that. Both parties support the secrecy of government and the spying on their own people, they have the same big corporation supporters and no outsider gets a look in. Wildcard presidents get assassinated, And they don't really care because the people don't.

In some ways, I am glad that America has so many guns, because I think they are going to be needed soon. Some of those right-wing nutjobs, if pointed the right direction, do actually care for "America" and they might be the key to unravelling this mess.

There's a whole heap of info at The Guardian, it's good to read Below The Line as well because a lot of those people really know what's going on, and post some fascinating stuff.

This is the tip of the iceberg, and Assange's information is still in the hands of the Washington Post, the Graun, and Der Bund. I honestly think the main reason the Graun has recently opened up American and Australian editions to allow their reporters to dig this shit out. There's more to come. Heaps more. Our world will look like a different place over the next few years.

[/end nutty rant]

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The wording of the public statements made by most of these companies is really alike - switch a word here and there, move a sentence up and down and the public will be none the wiser. :wacko:

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Russia has just suggested it could offer Edward Snowden asylum to protect him from deportation to US

Seems like foreign backlash has started, wonder why it was so slow to get moving

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/blog/2013/jun/11/nsa-prism-scandal-russia-would-consider-edward-snowden-asylum-claim-live-coverage

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Good to see that this information has come out. I just hope that this momentum keeps building and doesn't fizzle out like a lot of other big stories have. Nixon stepped down because he wiretapped a few journalists and I'm pretty sure some political opponents. Barack effectively wiretaps the whole world so I could see this going big but I'm of the oppinion that he will not step down at least willingly like Nixon did. I don't want to see a violent revolution but if momentum continues then a revolution is at least on the cards if not likely. Another thing is how interesting it is to see the media being so polarized, though I am not sure how anyone can really defend it, it goes to show that not all hope is lost.

Quite interesting times we live in right now, popcorn anyone?

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If the government has nothing to hide then they have nothing to fear of the People knowing what they are doing.

 

 

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Great videos! Spread them around. This story is hopefully going to stick around and be a big deal in the states, a real game changer maybe that brings about some conclusion to the erosion of liberty and shitting on the constitution that largely began after 9-11

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Avaaz are running a campaign to treat Snowden fairly and protest against PRISM.

They've probably been monitoring their site too.

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/stop_prism_global/?byCQadb&v=25882

To President Barack Obama:

 

We call on you to ensure that whistleblower Edward Snowden is treated fairly, humanely and given due process. The PRISM program is one of the greatest violations of privacy ever committed by a government. We demand that you terminate it immediately, and that Edward Snowden be recognized as a whistleblower acting in the public interest -- not as a dangerous criminal.

 

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lots of outcry, but nothing will change. intersting i'm hearing a lot of people mentioning tor more and more. i was under the impression that was as insecure as ever? at least, if i was a government agent wanting to catch someone/thing i would look at snooping a tor exit node or whatever they do as a first option.

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I've been wanting to hear some sort of response from our representatives, it's scary how silent they are on the matter. I'm sure we would have received something more of a response if not for the fact that the parties are striving to get re-elected. Thanks for sharing Qualia!

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I've been wanting to hear some sort of response from our representatives, it's scary how silent they are on the matter. I'm sure we would have received something more of a response if not for the fact that the parties are striving to get re-elected. Thanks for sharing Qualia!

i've been semi-following ludlams efforts over the last few weeks wrt cyber security and asio/afp etc. he's doing some good work. pity he's gong to get voted out in sep.

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yeah he's a bit of a lone voice.

a quote from him from above vid sums it.

"what type of tranquilizers are the government on?"

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The majority seem none too worried and or resigned to give quarter to perceived threats on national security. Apathy reigns and the prospect of future scope creep into more domestic contexts seems largely ignored. A future Occupy WS type of scenario could be easily quashed by the same technology when under the control of a future government.

The argument should not be about levels of privacy we are willing to sacrifice, because there is no argument....it's all or nothing. In a truly liberal democracy the argument should be about if we want to dismantle the infrastructure with crow-bars or sledge hammers.

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"Apathy reigns"

People are afraid, but of what? The only people who need to be afraid are the naughty ones. The ones who don't "fit in" the questioning ones. Oh, and the occasional, fortunately infrequent nutter. Alcohol is the biggest cause of unnecessary violence in our country, yet it is warmly embraced, revered even. And alcohol dulls the mind, dulls the senses.

It is THAT of which we are afraid, difference, change. Evolution. It must be stopped, at all cost.

These people aren't afraid of giving up their freedom because they never had it. It scares them. And they don't want to give that up because it is familiar, comforting, an old, well worn path. A path exploited ruthlessly by the controlling masters. We must make freedom the new pathway, familiar, well worn and proven to be gentle to all who follow it.

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animal rights groups who film or photograph abuse to be placed on terror watch lists

http://www.alternet.org/environment/shocking-reporting-factory-farm-abuses-be-considered-act-terrorism-if-new-laws-pass

http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/campaigns/factory_farming/fact-sheets/ag_gag.html

so here we go, groups opposing cruel or environmentally destructive business practices can be placed on arbitrary "terror lists" and thus enable them to be monitored by programs such as prism.

cunts.

Edited by qualia
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Animal Rights, Environmentalists.. anyone who "threatens" the economy. Not real terrorists.

Pricks

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