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Yahoo and Facebook Join Google In FISC Petition After Government Talks Fail
msm1267 writes "Google, Yahoo and Facebook filed amended requests today with the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court reiterating their desire to publish numbers on requests for user data related to national security. Google, meanwhile, went a step further asking for an open, public hearing with the court so that the issue could be publicly debated."
Statements from Yahoo's general counsel (filed motion [PDF]) and Facebook's general counsel (filed motion [PDF]). According to Facebook, "In recent weeks, it has become clear that the dialogue with the U.S. government that produced some additional transparency at the outset is at this point unlikely to result in more progress. As a result, today we are joining others in the industry in petitioning the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to require the government to permit companies to disclose more information about the volume and types of national security-related orders they receive."
There's no constitutional or legal basis for them not releasing it. If any any NSA or lawyer human filth shows up and says otherwise a bullet in the head will fix it.
Problem solved.
First, note the name of the court. Second, consider the surveillance Google et al would like to discuss.
When Google, Yahoo, and Facebook join together to assert that the state of surveillance on the internet is out of hand, you know you are totally fucked.
It's like having the horsemen of the apocalypse criticizing your policy decisions.
Google, Yahoo, and Facebook weren't this vocal before the Snowden Chronicles. Disingenuous bullshit from all. This is only damage-control so they can continue making more money, it has nothing to do with your rights. Bootlicker.
-- Ethanol-fueled
That they are big enough to take the risk of standing up for our freedoms speaks volumes about the stewardship of the company.
Or they are simply trying to give such an appearance to try to salvage the loss of business the NSA scandal is creating for such online services. They need not actually care while "framing the message" so longs the ultimate impact to their bottom line is negligible.
Want to see how Google, et al really feel? Keep an eye on their political campaign contributions, past and future.
That they are big enough to take the risk of standing up for our freedoms
They have petitioned the government to publish the number of requests they fully respond to. After the spying scandals have started (not before)
That is a far cry from "standing up for our freedoms". They are not contesting any of the requests yet, are they?
Google, Yahoo, and Facebook weren't this vocal before the Snowden Chronicles. Disingenuous bullshit from all. This is only damage-control so they can continue making more money...
Well, let's face it. Right now these companies are probably seeing their plans for future growth go down the toilet - after all, why would anyone (especially from outside the US) even consider using their services now? I know the reports so far say they haven't taken a significant hit, but most businesses don't turn on a dime... any exit would need to be thought through. I expect this whole situation will be very bad for these companies as we get a year or two out.
But whatever their selfish motivations, these actions are ultimately to our benefit. They certainly have more clout than we do.
#DeleteChrome
Google, Yahoo, and Facebook weren't this vocal before the Snowden Chronicles. Disingenuous bullshit from all. This is only damage-control so they can continue making more money, it has nothing to do with your rights. Bootlicker.
-- Ethanol-fueled
Sure. It's damage control but look at it from their point of view. They are getting orders from a secret court. If they complain in a manner that is legal, nobody hears it. Nothing changes. If they complain in a manner that could get the public's attention, employees risk criminal prosecution, the company loses credibility (because it looks like they are the ones collaborating), AND nothing may change. Damned if you don't. Double damned if you do.
After Snowden, the damage is done, and their best course of action is to raise as much of a stink as much as possible. Which still looks lame because the law is written to squash effective opposition and no one wants to go to jail over this.
I'm sure you think you would be willing to be the hero. But do you really want to be prosecuted for a federal offense in a secret court?
Between them Google, Yahoo and Facebook pretty much own the American Government.
...because, of course, there are no other large US corporations that might have their own desires, not always aligned with those three corporations.
There's no constitutional or legal basis for them not releasing it
I am afraid that we are living in a world where the CONSTITUTION ain't worth a shit to those in power.
To us, the powerless the CONSTITUTION still means something - because it serves as a shield against abuse.
But to those living and working inside Washington D.C., the CONSTITUTION is anything but a mere piece of paper, as for them, POWER IS EVERYTHING.
Their subjugation of their subjects (aka, people like you and me) did not start yesterday. It started DECADES AGO, it's only now that they have gained so much power that they have become SO EMBOLDEN that they dare to publicly dis-regard the Constitution and everything that was stated inside the Constitution.
Who is to blame for it ? Them in Washington, D.C., or us, the voters who voted them in, every fucking four years, without fail ?
Muchas Gracias, Señor Edward Snowden !
Google, Yahoo, and Facebook weren't this vocal before the Snowden Chronicles. Disingenuous bullshit from all.
Disingenuous bullshit or otherwise, where the hell is MICROSOFT ?
Maybe Google, Facebook, Yahoo are not sincere (and most probably they are not) in their latest publicity stunt, but at least, they are putting up a dog and pony show.
On the other hand, MICROSOFT's silence all these while is really deafening.
Muchas Gracias, Señor Edward Snowden !
But if you're chinese in china, how (aside from being a rich oligarch) are you going to use the internet at all without a firewall?
How disingenuous you want to become ?
I am a Chinese and I am an American citizen, and I do have business in China, and yes, I sometime find myself INSIDE CHINA.
But the key point is NOT what's happening in China - for China, at least, up to now, NEVER PRETEND TO BE A DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY.
China never, at least not to my knowledge, use "human rights", "democracy", "equality" and all those shit, as "weapons of publicity" to shame other countries.
On the other hand, my country, the United States of America, has been doing just that, for at least the past 5 decades.
The United States has criticized other countries, from Russia to China to Sudan to North Korea for their lack of "democracy", "human rights", "equality" (not that those countries don't deserved to be criticized") but I find it utterly hypocritical for the United States, and for YOU, to use China as the RED HERRING to shore up your inane argument FOR the current repressive government of the United States of America.
Muchas Gracias, Señor Edward Snowden !
...to pass laws abridging THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH, or the PRESS...
These companies don't need to beg the government or grovel before any court. The Constitution grants them the right to free speech, INCLUDING the right to disclose what the GOVERNMENT is demanding of them to violate their customers.
It's time to quit ACCEPTING the premise of this kind of government power and authority. It's time to start showing the Obama Regime the SAME LEVEL OF RESPECT it's showing to the Constitution!
Corporatism != Free Market
Just do it anyway, even if they know it'll cause a stir. Then, apologize for it later, but continue anyway since the "damage" has already been done and they can get back to the immortal corporate duel for monopoly (this time the fight's over spying... "There can be only ONE!").
Just like everything else they do.