Invasion of Privacy or Protection of a Nation?

     Over the past couple of years there have been some massive leaks from intelligence agencies around the world. This is mostly likely due in part to Julian Assange's WikiLeaks. Assange's website sparked a call for truthfulness among government agencies. Thus, the call for the darkness of our government system signaled an assortment of whistle-blowers to expose the United States. Edward Snowden, one of the most recent of the offenders, brought to light some of the darkest fears of the American public. He exposed the surveillance of millions of American citizens, along with distinct programs that were designed for the sole purpose of spying. The information he put on the table shattered our disbelief that there is a larger network of watchers at every waking moment; however, that is all the information accomplished. It only created a sickening feeling and mistrust towards our fundamental institution of policy. There are so many unknown tangents about the welfare of our national security, but is that a bad thing? Who knows what the NSA has uncovered using their methods monitoring? If a government agency really has been tracking our telephone conversations then their actions upon what they have heard has been minimal.

     The goal of the National Security Agency is not only to discover information but to protect it as well. The information these whistle-blowers leaked could have catastrophic effects on our national security.  Perhaps the next set of information to divulge is our perusing  around another nation. If or when this information unfolds to the public that nation will want to take up arms against the United States, and in a worst case scenario, start a war over this intelligence. The NSA  is after information that could detriment our nation. I have partaken in many phone conversations divulging illegal activities that have been committed; however, there has not been a single NSA agent at my doorstep. The goal of the institution is not to infringe on your right of privacy, but to protect it. Some view these minor phone tappings as a stepping stone towards much larger waves of intrusion in our lives. I reject this notion; everything the NSA strives for in mass-monitoring  is done in complete discretion. It was not until one rogue agent disclosed the true nature of their monitoring methods. Had Snowden not published his findings, we would still be oblivious towards the intrusion. I am not saying this a negative connotation but merely stating that ignorance is blissful. I highly doubt the public would truly want to hear of the distresses between nations. Such information could spark panic and further enhance any conflicts.

 

     The distress over our public information being disclosed to a private government agency is trivial in comparison to the direction in which this country is heading. Our deeper entanglement with social media has created a web of information that is easily accessible. This information can be obtained by virtually anyone and it basically explores every aspect of your life and personality. The government's obtainment of your phone calls pales in comparison to the data that can be collected by a simple click of a button. As our world gets more involved with social media, it will not be long before we completely reveal our entire personal collection of knowledge with the entire world. The government's involvement in our lives is inevitable but their purpose is to guard our freedoms. Moreover, our willingness to reveal so much about ourselves contradicts our complaints against the NSA.

 You'd better watch out / You'd better not cry / You'd better not pout 

There’s no argument that NSA spying on the American people is wrong.  For this organization to fully breach the 4^th amendment is just outlandish and is a complete and utter insult to the supposed lines of trust between the government and its people. But, honestly the one thing that really got me was how they explained themselves declaring that the repeatedly violations were caused by "poor management, lack of involvement by compliance officials and lack of internal verification procedures, not by bad faith." This really disturbed me because if the government has already made the decision that it’s going to look what I’m posting, to whom I’m posting it to, and the topics of my searches I’d at very least want them to show enough competence not to screw it up. Which due to recent finds shows that they haven’t. Honestly, at this point there’s really nothing that can be done so all of us might as go back living the way we were. All the while knowing that when we post something on Facebook that we’re not only sharing it with friends and family but a couple hundred old dudes sitting in lazy boy computer chairs deciding whether it merits the title of an immediate national threat.  You know thinking about this all kind of reminds me of of the Santa Claus jingle.

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-nsa-surveillance-20131120,0,2797352.story#axzz2lMl9xc71

NSA Surveillance

This week on scandal, a former CIA agent Edward Snowden leaks confidential proof of the government’s public surveillance and everyone is up in arms about the government’s complete disrespect for our privacy. Except, that wasn’t what happened on scandal, because shonda rhimes is much more genius of a writer than that, and because that was real life. This is the world we live in. Humans kill other innocent humans, plot against the government, research how to do it, and big brother watches it all go down. The problem we as spoiled Americans have, however, is that we feel entitled to privacy. We don’t want the government reading through emails or monitoring what we do, even though it (the government) never said it wouldn’t and it supposedly used the information it collects to ward off terror. I learned recently in my Media, Culture, and Society class that part of the fine print to using sites such as Google and Facebook, or signing contracts with phone carriers is that they get to track our activity. Silly geese, how do you think Google got so rich? They collect our personal data and sell it to companies that use this information to advertise to us. Shady capitalism wins again. What does this have to do with the government spying on us, you ask? Well, the way I see it, if Google can spy on us, then why wouldn’t the government? After all, isn’t our safety even better a reason than profit? Basically, most of us are not terrorists, and feel that any spying being done on the average citizen is wrong since again, we are not terrorists. Unfortunately, terrorists come from all backgrounds, shapes, creeds and colors, so everyone fits the terrorist profile. How can the government stop an attack if they don’t look for one? That’s right. They can’t. So do we want them to look for potential threats or not? Of course not! Only Google and cell phone carriers can collect our data. That rhetorical question-answer series brings me to this point- we’re stupid. As a collective, America is stupid. Stupid people need something to be against, and the sheeple that we are jumped on this topic, even though our views completely contradict our actions. By show of hands, even after there was proof that we were being spied on, how many of us stopped using the internet or texting? *silence* I thought so. Because we don’t actually care enough to take action, which means that we don’t care. Let’s also not act like the name ‘National Security Agency’ doesn’t just scream “spies”. The more I try to understand why people care so much, the more all of this seems like a joke. I say, let them watch. I personally have nothing to be ashamed of. For those of you who do, there’s this little saying that goes “what’s done in the dark, must come to light”. In other words, don’t worry about the government; all their dirt gets exposed eventually. Just live your life for everyone to see, since obviously they’re looking anyway.

This Is Such a Bad Thing, But I Don't Care Even a Little Bit

     Misery loves company, and so do potentially ridiculous points of view. Normally people don't like to voice their opinions about issues that they are relatively dispassionate about in a dissenting environment, especially if one's opinion could be seen as outlandish. You can't really blame them for that. No one likes losing arguments because their two cents is lost in a change jar of opinions. Yet, at the same time, I experienced some passing tinge of guilt about abstaining from taking a stance on certain issues. Domestic NSA spying is one of those issues. Of course what they are doing is bad and unconstitutional and immoral and un-American and completely regressive for our society and mean and stuff! Lord knows, I should care, but I still get to keep my iPhone and they haven't told me that I can't eat Fruit Loops without milk anymore, so I-try as I might- just can't bring myself to care.


(Dry Fruit Loops)
   
 It's so much effort to care. So rather than exerting effort to rally some distaste for the National Security Agency, I set out to find people whose apathy towards the whole fiasco was more or less equal to mine. I hoped this would make me feel better, (it did) and in an effort to keep myself honest, I sampled from a varied selection in terms of political preference, age, education, etc. Here are their thoughts:

Guys 1 at Lenox Mall: "Yes I know all about it. It's not right what they do. They could be listening right now, so I ain't gonna say too much. (Laughs.) But Obama should do something about it."

Guy 2 at Lenox Mall: "I'm busy."

Woman McDonald's: "People don't think this is a substantial issue, but it most certainly is. We, the citizens of the United States are the only ones who can set a precedent for what we will and will not tolerate from our government. It's important that we stand up for the principles which made us so great."

Shelly (my mother): "They can do that? Wow! That's scary. Should I be concerned? No? OK, well I'll keep that in mind."

Larry (my father): "Yeah, I know they do that. The NSA does some bad-ass shit. I was reading a book about it the other day. Don't know if it was true or not but they apparently can launch a missile from DC and fuck your shit up anywhere in the world in two minutes..." (I stopped listening.)

GSU Student: "If it be keepin' us safe, I ain't got no beef."


Out of all these people, one had a developed opinion. In conducting this research, I became very frustrated that most of the people I talked to hadn't a clue what was going on with regards to the spying. Yet, I still wasn't upset about the NSA. I felt totally justified in my resentment for their lack of information. After all, aren't we supposed to be wary of the government overstepping its bounds? But then I realized that I wasn't making any more of a difference than they were.

Maybe indifference is just as deadly as ignorance.

Waste of time

NSA Spying

What the NSA is doing is obviously wrong. People should be able to have private conversation without being spied on. Under the fourth amendment a person have the right to privacy. If the NSA is spying on the people then they are violating the fourth amendment and therefore breaking the law. Spying on people may prevent some terrorist attacks but it won’t completely stop all of it. Terrorists don’t have to talk on the phone or online to plan out their attacks. It could be as simple as meeting up at a secret place and discussing it or mailing each other letters. Not only that terrorists don’t have to work in teams to cause terror. Catholic Online says, “Terror attacks are not always signaled by mass communication and can be just as deadly as lone-wolf efforts.” Terrorist can work alone, there is not a rule that says terrorist has to work in teams or they have to communicate in ways that allows the NSA tSo what is the use of the system and why does it collect data on you and me when we have no affiliation with terrorists?” I understand what the question is saying it makes it clear that the NSA spying on people is absolutely useless. With all these other ways to communicate the NSA is just wasting their time reading and listening to these pointless conversations. With all the effort that the NSA is putting into spying on people they instead should be putting all that energy actually trying to find terrorist other ways than listening to phone calls or reading messages. By doing that not only are they invading peoples privacy they are just wasting time.

Considering Ourslves as the Terrioist

A few months ago,  Edward Snowden leaked 200,000 classified documents about the U.S. National Security Agency, or better known as, the NSA. He revealed to the public that the government was practicing domestic spying, from reading U.S. citizens emails to listening in on their private phone calls. Yes, this is a huge invasion of privacy, but is it justified? 

 

Many people are extremely outraged and have the right to be. But I would like to add that anyone who turns their anger towards the current president should turn their anger elsewhere, perhaps to congress, who have played a part in monitoring the NSA. Or how about towards Harry Truman who founded the agency? Although I do not believe that the president did not have any knowledge of the secret programs and activities that were taking place, I do believe there are others that should take the blame alongside him. The president has repeatedly defended the NSA’s activities under the patriot act- an act of congress signed into law by President Bush in 2001. So before we go blaming one man, we should look at everyone else who is involved. I believe our government should take the blame as whole. And it is good to note that these activities have been taking place for years, longer than Obama’s or Bush’s era.

As for the act of domestic spying, I don’t like the idea of it, but I do believe it is necessary. Yes, our security agencies are supposed to protect us from terrorism, mainly foreign acts of terrorism, but hasn’t their not been a surge in domestic terrorism these past years? How many mass shootings have happened since 9/11? And the many of these shootings have been carried out by U.S. citizens, born and raised on U.S. soil. So I do believe that while we need to be extremely aware of foreign terrorism, we need to start be very cautious and come to the realization that anyone can become a terrorist. And maybe the NSA is taking it a little too far, but I think we only feel that way because this is just the first time many people have considered the idea of protecting ourselves from ourselves. I’m sure there are other ways to go about it. But how would you do it? Where would you start when you wanted to monitor homegrown terrorist out of the 300 million people we live with? The only way to do this, in my eyes, would be to take a look at everyone. So I am not irritated by the term of “mass surveillance”. I mean, it’s basically practical that there will be a large amount, or mass, of data collected when monitoring that many people. 

Domestic surveillance will become a thing of the future, and rightly so. The Al Qaeda are not the only people out to harm us. It has been proven through the years that American citizens also commit malicious acts of terrorism. Even if the NSA is doing these things illegally, part of me believe it is a good idea.

Why does it even matter.

     This is the most ridiculous argument brought about by emotional and unneccesarily bitchy people. Excuse the language. The National Security Agency (NSA) collects data on everyone. From what I have researched, they have done a pretty damn good job at making what they really do seem less than absolutely morally wrong, too. According to the NSA, most communications collected are destroyed. Guess what they tend to keep? They keep the encrypted data. Why the hell are you encrypting your data in the first place?! Who knows... perhaps Americans have a good excuse for wanting to go the extent of encryption for their texts, emails, and other forms of communication. Maybe they are massively paranoid. Maybe they are trying to prevent a cyber attack on them or stolen identity. Again, who knows. What I do know and what seems rational is the NSA keeps these pieces of encrypted data to maintain their cryptanalysis. Now if somewhere along the lines of their decryption of your messages they find you are a potential terrorist then good for them and bad for you. You messed up in the first place by choosing that career path. Don't get mad because the NSA caught you. The NSA also has huge databases of every email address, home address, phone number, and anything else you could probably think of on the American people. When a number or message crosses over into the country and is not in one of these databases then they take a look at you and if you aren't a stupid terrorist then everything should be fine! You will never even know someone took a second look at you.
      Basically what this all boils down to is some people are upset because they have lost their false sense of privacy. Notice the word "false". Your privacy was never there to begin with. The government is always watching and always has and probably always will. Do you really think a national agency is going to give two shits whether or not you lost your best friend? Do you think they care about the nudes you sent to your boyfriend or girlfriend? Absolutely not. IT IS A NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY. They deal with matters much bigger than the one person out of over 300 million Americans. Get over yourself. The only matter that slightly worries me is the overseas spying. Once you start spying on world leaders, you are heading into dangerous waters, my friend. Until this agency jeopardizes my own safety, though, why shouldn't I be fine with it? To the average American, this topic should not matter one bit and that's just the way it is (word to Tupac).

As Long as the Checkers are Checked, Everything Checks Out

Although the NSA undoubtably has the ability to spy on our every text, email, phone call, Skype or virtually any other type of electronic communication, do they?  Unless you send or receive encrypted files, they have a reason to spy on you (for instance, if you are a known drug lord), or have a relatively high political standing, chances are the NSA couldn't care less about what you send other people.  Why so many people think the NSA has the time to actively read the texts or watch surveillance footage of 350 million people is beyond me.

 Believe me, as an average citizen, you are not that important to the NSA.  The security of our country does not depend on the lame conversations you have with your boyfriend.  In fact, the NSA has specific measures they take so that they do not spy on innocent American citizens.  Of course, the spying on an innocent citizen probably does happen, but not often, and not for an extended period of time.  Therefore, the problem I have with the NSA is not that I think they are spying on me, it is that they are putting the country at risk by spying on foreign leaders and getting caught doing so.  I realize this is very unpatriotic of me: I care more about the privacy of the foreign leaders than the rights of American citizens being potentially violated.  However, I feel this is a very realistic and rational way of looking at the NSA.  Personally I would rather have my privacy be in jeopardy than have world leaders think more poorly of the United States than they already do.  With checks and balances, I believe that the NSA can be a beneficial organization to the safety and security of the nation.  The main problem with the NSA is the fact that they have consistently disregarded Congress and have carried out their personal agenda without checks and balances.  This allows them the ability to violate citizens rights and also to violate the privacy (and trust) of powerful foreign leaders.  I believe an anonymous blogger says it best: "The Patriot Act and FISA court do not have tight enough procedural safeguards or enough transparency... If men were angels, there would be no need for government."  With checks and balances, and stricter laws, the NSA could be no more corrupt than any other branch of the United States Government.

Security at Expense of Privacy...?

The NSA, or National Security Agency, is the largest U.S. intelligence organization within the Department of Defense. It is the main producer and manager of signals within the U.S and the world including American Citizens; emails, phone calls, and text messages. They have the power to bug major electronic systems, such as security cameras, and they also analyze, translate and provide counter telecommunications. NSA is also a supposed clandestine organization, or in other words, unnoticed by the general population, which of course is not the case anymore since Snowden decided to sell American NSA secrets.

Recently the NSA has started to collect massive amounts of mobile data from American citizens. Because of this drastic policy, many citizens have risen up and took a stand against this invasion of privacy. However, many people defend the NSA seemingly unconstitutional acts as well. So who is in the right here? Is it really right for the government to put up three thousand cameras in New York City and say that it’s for the protection of the people? Is the excuse to catch criminals and terrorists really a legitimate reason to invade hundreds of thousands citizens privacy?

I think what most people forget is that the NSA is a very human reliant organization, and that they process millions and millions of communication signals a day. The fact that the NSA does this all while staying in line with so many government regulations is and astounding feat! “We’re a human-run agency operating in a complex environment with a number of different regulatory regimes, so at times we find ourselves on the wrong side of the line,” said a senior NSA official. So, when the NSA did cross over their regulations, many citizens found out for the first time that their phone calls, and all their methods of communications could be analyzed and recorded by the NSA. Once or twice a mistake can be made but “The NSA audit obtained by The Post, dated May 2012, counted 2,776 incidents in the preceding 12 months of unauthorized collection, storage, access to or distribution of legally protected communications.”

Even though most of these violations of privacy were unintended and only included facilities in the Washington Area, it is imperative that the NSA take steps to streamline their work so that they can give citizens and green card holders as much privacy as they possibly can. No one wants people to know if they go in for some kind of counseling, or if they are having family problems. That right to privacy is a very important asset in the lives of Americans. Sure the NSA’s purpose and usefulness is extremely important in catching a very dangerous criminal, however, there must be better and more reliable way to monitor signals without intruding so much on citizens privacy. In my opinion, many people wouldn’t even mind the NSA if it could stop making so many unauthorized collections of legally confidential communications. As long as they do their work within their bounds, then people will be fine with the fact that the NSA is helping to protect Americas National Security.