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Judge Says You Can't Know If Google Spies For NSA

Posted by timothy on from the all-fibers-lead-to-maryland dept.

witherstaff writes "A federal judge has ordered that whether Google is spying for the National Security Agency or not, you have no right to know. EPIC, which brought the lawsuit, says the NSA can neither confirm nor deny any relationship with Google. EPIC is worried the 'NSA is developing technical standards that would enable greater surveillance of Internet users.'"

5 of 197 comments (clear)

  1. But don't worry by Opportunist · · Score: 5, Funny

    After all, we're the good guys. We're just doing it to keep you safe from the red threat. Erh, the terrorists.

    Could someone FINALLY update my teleprompter, please?

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  2. Misleading by camperdave · · Score: 5, Informative

    The National Security Agency does not have to disclose its relationship with Google amid press reports that the two partnered up after hackers in China launched a cyber attack on the U.S. government, a federal judge in Washington ruled.

    It's not that you don't have a right to know. Its that the NSA is under no obligation to tell you. There's a big difference.

    --
    When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
    1. Re:Misleading by wickerprints · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I interpreted the grandparent post as meaning that there is a distinction to be drawn between what information we, in principle, should have access to, versus the actual state of what we do have access to. In other words, we do have an intrinsic right to know--it is simply that this right is not recognized by the government.

      Not all "rights" are those that are defined and granted by law. The US Constitution attempts to be as broad as possible in codifying certain basic rights, but as we have seen throughout history, that doesn't mean every right we do have is actually allowed to be exercised in practice. That comes down to the subjective interpretations of nine fallible old people, many of whom are beholden to personal biases and political interests. And quite often, the way they rule does in fact deny people of their actual rights on a very fundamental level.

      As nice as it may sound to have a state that is of the people, by the people, for the people...that is not what the US actually is, nor has it ever been. The government has always been of itself, by itself, and for itself, and the people are merely a source of money and labor for the powerful to exploit. It's a lie on the same level of communist propaganda. All government exists to rob power from the individual to concentrate it for the few.

  3. They do not need to confirm it by houghi · · Score: 5, Insightful

    In times where people get grabbed at airports, wiretaps are done at almost random, why would the NSA NOT use and abuse google?

    US citizens: you have made your nest (by voting between two evils) now sleep in it.

    --
    Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
  4. Why is it confirmed? by Karljohan · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Isn't it legal speak for "hmmm... but... if we deny this, won't you just keep asking the same thing about all companies until we say that we can't comment?"