New Snowden leak upstages U.S. move to declassify documents (XKeyscore program = warrantless)

[Fire Walk With Me]

Last edited Thu Aug 1, 2013, 05:01 AM - Edit history (1)

http://news.yahoo.com/u-declassify-documents-spy-programs-surveillance-court-033021541.html

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New revelations from former security contractor Edward Snowden that U.S. intelligence agencies have access to a vast online tracking tool came to light on Wednesday, as lawmakers put the secret surveillance programs under greater scrutiny.

The Guardian, citing documents from Snowden, published National Security Agency training materials for the XKeyscore program, which the British newspaper described as the NSA's widest-reaching system that covers "nearly everything a typical user does on the Internet."

Intelligence analysts can conduct surveillance through XKeyscore by filling in an on-screen form giving only a "broad justification" for the search and no review by a court or NSA staff, the newspaper said.

(More at the link. Note "no review by a court" = warrantless.)

[BlueStreak]

1. They would probably argue this is not a "search"

They would argue you are in a public space and there is nothing wrong with them noting what you are doing in that public space.

[Demeter]

2. We are still (theoretically) protected against arbitrary searches in public spaces

There isn't any way this stuff they do is Constitutional. Just because some kangaroo court says it's okay doesn't make it so.

There's something about the Consent of the Governed....and we do not consent! We weren't even asked.