[cgbg]

The NSA has access to the “metadata” on all phone calls.

What that means in the real world is that they have the capability to get the content on any specific phone call if they wish to do so.

So Q could be anyone, employee or contractor of hacker for that matter, with access to the NSA database.

Privacy has gone the way of the Easter Bunny—a fun tale for little kids and really dumb adults.

[AndyJackson]

So Q could be anyone, employee or contractor of hacker for that matter, with access to the NSA database.

It's a pretty small circle, in fact, and a lot of those things were cut off. Most access is closely watched and logged and contained within special small SAPs in the intelligence community.