Privacy Board: NSA telephone records program illegal

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**Dreadclaw69**

http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/23/politics/nsa-telephone-records-privacy/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

(CNN) -- The National Security Agency program that collects data on nearly every U.S. phone call isn't legal, a privacy review board said Thursday in a newly released report.

Moreover, the five-member Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board said it's been largely useless in thwarting terrorism.
"We have not identified a single instance involving a threat to the United States in which the program made a concrete difference in the outcome of a counterterrorism investigation," the board wrote in the report released Thursday.

The board said it had identified only one instance in which the program helped authorities identify a terrorist in the last seven years. But the board said law enforcement would have found the suspect anyway, even without the NSA program.

The board doesn't have any legal teeth, so its recommendations won't change government practices the way a court ruling might.

But the findings are a stinging rebuke of President Barack Obama's legal defense of the program, in which the NSA tracks millions of telephone calls each day, harvesting the telephone numbers involved, the time calls are placed and how long they last.

A majority of the board -- formed as part of the federal government's response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks -- agreed with critics of the NSA that the program raises constitutional concerns.

"The Board concludes that Section 215 does not provide an adequate legal basis to support the program," it wrote its report. CNN reviewed a copy of the report.

The board said the law authorizes the FBI to collect records related to a specific investigation, but not bulk collection of data that "cannot be regarded as 'relevant' to any FBI investigation."

The law also "does not authorize the NSA to collect anything," the board said.

Last week, after a report by an outside review group appointed by Obama, the President announced changes to the program.

Among other things, the NSA must now ask a judge each time an analyst wants to look at the data, and the agency will eventually lose its role as custodian of the information.

But Obama said he felt it important to keep the program intact.
"The review group turned up no indication that this database has been intentionally abused," he said. "And I believe it is important that the capability that this program is designed to meet is preserved."

One privacy advocate called the changes "window dressing."

The government is now studying whether to require telephone companies to hold the data, or to create a new third-party agency to collect the data.

**easysauce**

that is ok if it is illegal, we can just change the laws until it is legal.

problem solved once its law of the land, amiright?

**whembly**

They have no "teeth"... they can only make recommendations.

*shrugs*

Will probably need congressional actions (or SC) to truly shut that program down.

**Newabortion**

Or well turn into George Orwells' 1984. Both are viable options

**easysauce**

Newabortion wrote:
Or well turn into George Orwells' 1984. Both are viable options

hate to break it to you,

we are already far past the state that 1984 was in... way past it.

we even have 24 hours of hate 24/7 on the picto cubes,

the only thing missing is the rationing and us ganging up on china with russia or vise versa.. although the ruskies and the chicoms are getting pretty buddy buddy

**ScootyPuffJunior**

Yeah, or things will continue just like they had before everyone turned in to internet privacy experts/activists.

But the slippery slope is much more fun.

Also, you've never read 1984 if you think our society is anything like Oceania.

**easysauce**

ScootyPuffJunior wrote:
Yeah, or things will continue just like they had before everyone turned in to internet privacy experts/activists.

But the slippery slope is much more fun.

Also, you've never read 1984 if you think our society is anything like Oceania.

well, aside from the fact that I have been a "open net" proponent for well over 15 years, and freedom of speech/privacy proponent for almost 30,
and the fact that I actually plan, engineer, build and maintain international internet infrastructure across north america,

the fact that you DONT think we are anything like 1984, means you have a real disconnect with reality, and/or didnt understand the book, and means you have 0 professional credibility with technology outside of using consumer devices.

But im sure your facebook explodes with "flavour of the month" stuff, so naturally you would project that on to me since you really dont understand how this stuff works.

**daedalus**

ScootyPuffJunior wrote:
Yeah, or things will continue just like they had before everyone turned in to internet privacy experts/activists.

Doesn't the fact that everyone has a strong opinion (generally against) show an indicator that maybe it's not a good thing?

But the slippery slope is much more fun.

Slippery slope fallacy isn't a fallacy when it's real. The erosion of the fourth has been happening since the signing of the "Patriot" act.

**ScootyPuffJunior**

easysauce wrote:
ScootyPuffJunior wrote:
Yeah, or things will continue just like they had before everyone turned in to internet privacy experts/activists.

But the slippery slope is much more fun.

Also, you've never read 1984 if you think our society is anything like Oceania.

well, aside from the fact that I have been a "open net" proponent for well over 15 years, and freedom of speech/privacy proponent for almost 30,
and the fact that I actually plan, engineer, build and maintain international internet infrastructure across north america,

the fact that you DONT think we are anything like 1984, means you have a real disconnect with reality, and/or didnt understand the book, and means you have 0 professional credibility with technology outside of using consumer devices.

But im sure your facebook explodes with "flavour of the month" stuff, so naturally you would project that on to me since you really dont understand how this stuff works.

Oh my, you sure put me in my place. I must humbly submit to your superior intellect, reading comprehension, and more accurate world view. Please, show me how you can be smug some more, I find in enthralling. In your crusade, have you appointed yourself the 21st century Winston Smith?

Since you are a literary critic of such a high magnitude, please explain how Western society as turned in to the dystopian nightmare of Nineteen Eighty-Four so my simple brain can understand it.

**d-usa**

The fact just you can bitch about it being just like 1984 is the single biggest sign that we are in fact a very long way from 1984.

Now get back to your government sponsored pr0n!

**ScootyPuffJunior**

d-usa wrote:
The fact just you can bitch about it being just like 1984 is the single biggest sign that we are in fact a very long way from 1984.

Now get back to your government sponsored pr0n!

Yeah, I should be careful... My four year old might rat me out to the Thought Police. I just hope they increase the Victory Gin and Victory Cigarettes ration so my job at Minitrue becomes just a little more bearable.

Thoughtcrime does not entail death. THOUGHTCRIME IS DEATH.