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NSA Data Center Brings Concerns Over Security and Privacy and Jobs

Posted by samzenpus on from the you-take-the-good-you-take-the-bad dept.

chamilto0516 writes "Twenty-five miles due south of Salt Lake City, a massive construction project is nearing completion. The heavily secured site belongs to the National Security Agency. The NSA says the Utah Data Center is a facility for the intelligence community that will have a major focus on cyber security. Some published reports suggest it could hold 5 zettabytes of data. Asked if the Utah Data Center would hold the data of American citizens, Alexander [director of the NSA] said, 'No...we don't hold data on U.S. citizens,' adding that the NSA staff 'take protecting your civil liberties and privacy as the most important thing that they do, and securing this nation.' But critics, including former NSA employees, say the data center is front and center in the debate over liberty, security and privacy." According to University of Utah computing professor Matthew Might, one thing is clear about the Utah Data Center, it means good paying jobs. "The federal government is giving money to the U.'s programming department to develop jobs to fill the NSA building," he says.

3 of 138 comments (clear)

  1. we don't need this. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Job creation is a horrible justification for spending taxpayers' money on spying.

  2. Re:Privacy vs "securing this nation" by jamstar7 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    the NSA staff 'take protecting your civil liberties and privacy as the most important thing that they do, and securing this nation.'

    Is anyone else having difficulty parsing this sentence?

    Is anyone else having difficulty believing them when they tell me my liberties and privacy is their most important task? Or is it violating said liberties and privacy that's their Job One? There's a reason why one of the 4 great lies of history is "Hi. I'm from the Government and I'm here to help!"

    --
    Understanding the scope of the problem is the first step on the path to true panic.
  3. Re:Privacy vs "securing this nation" by Concerned+Onlooker · · Score: 5, Interesting

    "When you don't know any of these people personally, it's easy to shoot off barbs."

    No, when the NSA has no check on it it's easy to shoot off barbs. Especially since they're in the business of spying on US citizens. When AT&T openly colludes with the NSA to pass all traffic to the NSA it's not just AT&T that loses my respect.

    And I'm not taking YOUR word that they're doing what they're supposed to be doing.

    --
    http://www.rootstrikers.org/