“So are you saying that you are OK with them spying on every single american because it is a natural side-effect of spying on terrorists?”
It’s pretty simple. The article is all upset about hacking a version of anti-virus software in order to develop a tool that could be used to spy on terrorists. It is obvious that such a hack could be used to spy on citizens or on terrorists.
My point is this: if you don’t like this kind of thing then explain how NSA can build a spy tool that cannot be used to spy on citizens.
It’s just like a wiretap which could be used legally or illegally. Should wiretaps be outlawed because they could be used illegally?
Or, for another analogy. Weapons provided to the US Army could be used against citizens. Does that mean the US Army should not be allowed to develop weapons? Or should the US Army be banned from developing weapons that can only be used against terrorists?
But to return to your original question. In certain circumstances, law enforcement can ‘spy’ on citizens if it is a by-product of spying on terrorists. Suppose, you want to take a photograph of two terrorists meeting in a park. Are you prohibited from taking such a picture if there are also citizens in the background?
Notice I specifically limited this to ‘law enforcement’. NSA is not law enforcement and cannot legally spy on persons located within the borders of the United States. It can ‘spy’ on those located outside the US even if this does indirectly involve those located inside the US.
That may bother you but consider this. Suppose NSA learns that five terrorists will have a conference call on a forthcoming terrorist plot. Should NSA listen in?
What if, just at the moment when one terrorist is about to announce the target, the date, and the timing another terrorist dials in and that terrorist is within the US. Should NSA immediately terminate the wiretap? What if terrorist announce that one party to the call is a (unnamed) US citizen? They could make such an announcement standard practice.
What if several terrorists are using email to coordinate an attack. Suppose some of their email is routed through a server in the US. Can NSA intercept this email?
you are CLEARLY not paying attention
If THAT was what the NSA was doing it would be expected
But its not.., they are collecting spy data on every single american
yes the technology to spy on one gives you the ability to spy on all- and that is why the NSA is doing- spying on ALL
“My point is this: if you don’t like this kind of thing then explain how NSA can build a spy tool that cannot be used to spy on citizens.”
No, you don’t have a point, nor do you have a creative thought in your mind on how this might be accomplished.
The NSA can have all the tools they want. They just can’t use them against US citizens - but they do anyway.
So, one could prosecute those involved in spying on Americans without a warrant.
The NSA could bend over backwards to delete information that they believe is about US citizens.
So MY point is that how is it that the NSA can deploy tools that cannot exclude data from US citizens for which they do not have a valid warrant?