What the Government Pays To Snoop On You

Posted by samzenpus on Thursday July 11, 2013 @12:15PM from the spying-for-simoleons dept.

transporter_ii writes "So what does it cost the government to snoop on us? Paid for by U.S. tax dollars, and with little scrutiny, surveillance fees charged by phone companies can vary wildly. For example, AT&T, imposes a $325 'activation fee' for each wiretap and $10 a day to maintain it. Smaller carriers Cricket and U.S. Cellular charge only about $250 per wiretap. But snoop on a Verizon customer? That costs the government $775 for the first month and $500 each month after that, according to industry disclosures made last year to Congressman Edward Markey."

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Re:It costs the government NOTHING. by ohnocitizen · 2013-07-11 18:16 · Score: -1, Redundant

False. All that is necessary is to show it is a positive return for society, vs for profit. An individual or a corporation might invest for profit, or to further a pet cause. The promise of government invention, when it is done right (such an essential caveat), is that "we the people" can invest in areas profit has no concern with. That's a very good thing.