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FBI Admits More Privacy Violations
kwietman writes "The FBI admitted that in 2006, for the fourth straight year, they improperly accessed phone and internet records of U.S. citizens. Director Robert Mueller testified that the abuses occurred prior to sweeping reforms enacted in 2007, and actually blamed the breaches in part on the telecommunications companies, who submitted more information than was requested. In another unsurprising development, the FBI also underreported the number of security letters - used to authorize wiretaps and to subpoena internet and telecom records - by over 4,600. The use of these letters to identify potential terrorists has, according to the government audit, increased dramatically since the implementation of the Patriot Act. Over 1,000 of these security letters were found to be improper in 2005, and similar numbers were expected for 2006 and 2007."
Who needs abusive government bureaucracies to abuse our rights when corporations can do the job even better?
Well, it has been said for a long time that the private sector is more efficient than the public sector - you're just seeing a prime example!
The Mothership
I'm not a U.S. citizen, they can't tou
The Mothership
I probably shouldn't post this, but I was at the meeting. Here's how it went down.
FBI: Hello, AT&T, can we have the phone records for 123-555-6789? As you can see here, we have a warrant here to tap that number, because it belongs to Osama Bin Laden. In fact, it says so right on the caller ID!
AT&T: Why, certainly! And while we're at it, here are the records for several hundred thousand Americans who are completely or only tangentially related. We hope this helps!
FBI: No, please, stop! We don't want that data!
AT&T: Don't be so modest. Here's a few hundred thousand more!
FBI: Please! Stop! Don't! You're offending the very values upon which J. Edgar Hoover built this place!
That's exactly how it happened.
Oh yeah. It's the media. Why I was just watching something on that...
erm... hang on... Britney just shaved something again...
A Human Right
Well, I think I speak for all Americans when I say we don't mind the pedophiles or the terrorists, but we absolutely must protect our citizens from televangelists... no, wait....
Check out my sci-fi/humor trilogy at PatriotsBooks.
I know! Think about it. The phone company has YOUR phone number! What are they going to do with that...?
--- Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity
The FBI gonna get your number
They already got your picture
The FBI
And your fingerprints too.
(Has anyone seen GW Bush and Richard Nixon in the same room together? Exactly.)
"It doesn't cost enough, and it makes too much sense."