Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

CIA Pays AT&T Millions To Voluntarily Provide Call Data

Posted by samzenpus on from the checking-numbers dept.

First time accepted submitter binarstu writes "The New York Times reports that 'The C.I.A. is paying AT&T more than $10 million a year to assist with overseas counterterrorism investigations by exploiting the company's vast database of phone records, which includes Americans' international calls, according to government officials. The cooperation is conducted under a voluntary contract, not under subpoenas or court orders compelling the company to participate, according to the officials.'"

1 of 107 comments (clear)

  1. What does AT&T get in return? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Contracts with the government to supply telecommunications without needing to worry about competition?

    Free date nights with top rung escorts when they're in town for meetings?

    Free big-data analytics?

    $10 million for the bottom line of a company like AT&T is chicken feed. What's really going on here?