Tech Companies Concede to Surveillance Program {How PRISM works]

New York Times (wish I could find another source...) ^ | 7 June 2013 | CLAIRE CAIN MILLER

[Fractal Trader]

When government officials came to Silicon Valley to demand easier ways for the world’s largest Internet companies to turn over user data as part of a secret surveillance program, the companies bristled. In the end, though, many cooperated at least a bit.

Twitter declined to make it easier for the government. But other companies were more compliant, according to people briefed on the negotiations. They opened discussions with national security officials about developing technical methods to more efficiently and securely share the personal data of foreign users in response to lawful government requests. And in some cases, they changed their computer systems to do so.

The negotiations shed a light on how Internet companies, increasingly at the center of people’s personal lives, interact with the spy agencies that look to their vast trove of information — e-mails, videos, online chats, photos and search queries — for intelligence. They illustrate how intricately the government and tech companies work together, and the depth of their behind-the-scenes transactions.

The companies that negotiated with the government include Google, which owns YouTube; Microsoft, which owns Hotmail and Skype; Yahoo; Facebook; AOL; Apple; and Paltalk, according to one of the people briefed on the discussions. The companies were legally required to share the data under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

[SNIP]

In at least two cases, at Google and Facebook, one of the plans discussed was to build separate, secure portals, like a digital version of the secure physical rooms that have long existed for classified information, in some instances on company servers. Through these online rooms, the government would request data, companies would deposit it and the government would retrieve it, people briefed on the discussions said.

[Fractal Trader]

There's two aspects to the story:

1) They don't give direct access to their servers, but they put it in a mailbox and give the key to the NSA -- big difference, right?

2) While they claim that they are only answering to proper government requests, they cannot acknowledge any FISA request, so the statement is a red herring.

[Fractal Trader]

The true story about PRISM

[NVDave]

The “mailbox” type of access mimics the way the FBI (and presumably NSA) were allowed to access telco call data on switches back in the 90’s. The government said “we have a law requiring you to provide us with an interface” so that SS7 switches could effectively have call tracings and tapping from remote digital links.

[Frank_2001]

WE THE PEOPLE should have said, “Well, Fedboy, WE have a Constitution, and specifically a Fourth Amendment which trumps your so-called “law”. Oh and by the way, you (used to) work for US, and you are now FIRED”.

;)

[bronxville]

It’s the WWW so the world isn’t going to be very happy. I’m guessing it was a deliberate leakage by the administration to cause global disruption and if it doesn’t they’ll make ensure it does, the end-game being to shut down the internet.

[EasySt]

Here’s what Obama had to say in 2007 about Warrant-less Wiretaps:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=B6fnfVJzZT4

[WilliamofCarmichael]

. . . since tech companies’ cooperation with the government was revealed Thursday, tech executives have been performing a familiar dance, expressing outrage at the extent of the government’s power to access personal data . . . heaping praise upon the president as he visited Silicon Valley. . . . Even as the White House scrambled to defend its online surveillance, President Obama was mingling with . . . Silicon Valley . . .

Look these 1960s Marxist-Alinsky New Left campus brats and their ideological issue, arguably the Establishment, see us as their main enemy. It is us that they watch.

They vet the enemy and it is us.

[Chaguito]

That’s a nice little internet company you got there. Be a shame if something bad was to happen to it.

[LucyT]

Tech Companies Concede to Surveillance Program {How PRISM works]

Thanks, Fractal Trader.

.

[UCANSEE2]

"You are either with US, or against US."

"You are either with ME, or against ME."

[UCANSEE2]

"Everyone not with us is against us and they better be ready because we don't forget. The ones who helped us will be rewarded, the ones who opposed us will get what they deserve. There is going to be hell to pay"

[GrandJediMasterYoda]

Didn't she play Chaka on Land of the lost?

[Windflier]

Anyone seen this?

"Seriously dangerous times ahead. Deadly times. War, and censorship under the color of authority and under the pretext of of national security"

DHS insider: It’s about to get very ugly

[GOP Poet]

bookmark

[miliantnutcase]

Yeah, like be investigated by the IRS or broken apart...

[miliantnutcase]

HAHAHAHAHA

[Timber Rattler]

In every single one of these stories, they are hiding behind the unconstitutional 'Patriot Act,' noting that what they are doing is lawful.

Well, that doesn't make it right, and I'm still torqued about THIS...when Republicans had a chance to end it but instead broke caucus members arms forcing them to vote for renewal, including Bachmann.

GOP struggles for PATRIOT Act votes

"House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) offered a stern warning to his fellow lawmakers in a closed conference meeting Wednesday at the Capitol Hill Club: Don’t you dare vote no unless you attend Mueller’s briefing and ask your questions."

[varyouga]

WE THE PEOPLE should have said, “Well, Fedboy, WE have a Constitution, and specifically a Fourth Amendment which trumps your so-called “law”. Oh and by the way, you (used to) work for US, and you are now FIRED”.

I think you made the mistake of still believing we live in a free nation

Nowadays, if you stand in their way you'll get SWATed and have drugs/childporn "dropped" in your house. If they really don't like you, they'll just shoot you and plant a knife in your hand. Or maybe you'll have a heart attack at 40.

"S*** happens" "some live some die" "if you don't trust us, there's going to be problems" "I knew nothing and it was all a long time ago" "what difference does it make?"

[wrencher]

Generally “WE THE PEOPLE” have re-elected federal level incumbents at a 90+% rate for decades. Most certainly a large percentage of people complaining about govt. should look in a mirror. Dems & Pubs are 2 wings of one party quarreling over who gets the slightly larger piece of the pie.

[Black Agnes]

We need to pick one of these companies and begin a brutal boycott.