Q&A: NSA's Prism internet surveillance scheme

[limpyhobbler]

How do we know about Prism?
Details of the programme were leaked by Edward Snowden, a 30-year-old who had formerly worked as a technical assistant to the US Central Intelligence Agency.
...

Whose data is being reviewed?
Officials say that Prism cannot be used to "intentionally target any US citizen, any other US person, or anyone located within the United States".

According to the Washington Post, the NSA identifies suspect communications using search terms designed to give it a 51% confidence rating that the target is foreign.

The paper says the queries are then checked by the FBI to ensure no US citizen is named as a target.

Once this is done and a suspect identified, it says that anyone that person has contacted or been contacted by can also become subject for review and then, in turn, everyone in the inbox and outbox of this extended group may also be targeted.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23027764

[think]

1. "Reuters has reported that the US government is now the biggest buyer of malware,

noting that the NSA declines to comment on its own role in buying such tools because of the "sensitivity" of the topic."

[limpyhobbler]

2. Yeah that's a little creepy.

[Fire Walk With Me]

3. Occupy Wall Street have already been named terrorists or potential terrorists

so you and all of your contacts are under scrutiny.