Following the Patriot Act these seem to be guidelines now.UNITED STATES SIGNALS INTELLIGENCE DIRECTIVE (USSID) 18
LEGAL COMPLIANCE AND MINIMIZATION PROCEDURES (FOUO)
LETTER OF PROMULGATION
(U) this USSID prescribes policies and procedures and assigns responsibilities to ensure that the missions and functions of the United States SIGINT System (USSS) are conducted in a manner that safeguards the constitutional rights of U.S. persons.
(U) This USSID has been completely rewritten to make it shorter and easier to understand. It constitutes a summary of the laws and regulations directly affecting USSS operations. All USSS personnel who collect, process, retain, or disseminate information to, from, or about U.S. persons or persons in the United States must be familiar with its contents.
(FOUO) This USSID supercedes USSID 18 and USSID 18, Annex A (distributed separately to selected recipients), both of which are dated 20 October 1980, and must now be destroyed. Notify DIRNSA/CHSS (USSID Manager) if this edition of USSID 18 is destroyed because of an emergency action; otherwise, request approval from DIRNSA/CHSS before destroying this USSID.
(FOUO) Release or exposure of this document to contractors and consultants without approval from the USSID Manager is prohibited. Instructions applicable to release or exposure of USSID to contractors and consultants may be found in USSID 19.
(FOUO) Questions and comments concerning this USSID should be addressed to the Office of the General Counsel, NSA/CSS xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx NSTS 963-3121 or STU III 688-5015).
(SNIP)
SECTION 4 - COLLECTION
4.1 Communications to, from or About U.S. Persons and xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx to the United States
a. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court Approval
b. Attorney General Approval
c. DIRNSA/CHSS Approval
d. Emergency Situations
e. Annual Reports
4.2 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
4.3 Incidental Acquisition of U.S. Person Information
4.4 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
4.5 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
4.6 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
4.7 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
4.8 Distress Signals
4.9 COMSEC Monitoring and Security Testing of Automated Information Systems
(&tc. &tc.)