The term “data collection” at the NSA is used only when...
1. The data undergoes analysis
AND ALSO
2. The data is **NOT** stored
Think that over —how often is data deemed important enough to merit analysis but NOT storage? I’d say damned near NEVER.
So be that definition they can TRUTHFULLY state they are COLLECTING very little data from Americans (while scooping up everything).
**UNDERSTAND THE ENEMY’S LINGO***
Sure it is. It's just a question of for how long. The very act of collecting it implies storage of some duration.
The digitized voice conversations are stored long enough for the software to convert it to text. It is the text that is stored. And reading text is not listening to phone conversation. Read the law. It only applies to the listening of phone conversation. They are deceiving us through the use of new voice recognition technology.
This is my own opinion, of course. However, with voice recognition technology, I am certain that is how they are getting around the law.