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Privacy Lawsuits Over NSA Spying Force Retention of Metadata

Posted by samzenpus on from the keeping-it-a-bit-longer dept.

jfruh writes "Under the U.S.'s previously secret program of gathering phone call metadata, that information was only retained for a period of five years. Now the government has petitioned the court system to retain it longer — not because it wants to, it says, but because it needs to preserve it as evidence for the various privacy lawsuits filed against the government. Federal lawyers have suggested several ways the information can be preserved without being available to the NSA."

6 of 59 comments (clear)

  1. Retention by jma05 · · Score: 2

    Does this mean that they will take the data offline and archive it away from their query systems?... such that it is not just another excuse for keep using the data?

    What exactly does "longer" mean in their petition? One year, two years? Forever?

  2. Re:Which is the same thing as saying... by jafiwam · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It's interesting they are now saying "information that was only retained for a period of five years."

    Five years is about as long as some of that stuff has been in place. Which means basically, on their own, none of it has been deleted ever.

    Also, this "five years" thing just popped up. I am sure it would have been discussed at length. So it's new, made up information.

    And also probably a gigantic, colossal, and obvious LIE.

    So THIS now means "don't sue us or we'll go even MORE tyrannical on your ass".

    Elections have consequences folks.

  3. Re:Which is the same thing as saying... by DoofusOfDeath · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Elections have consequences folks.

    That's a nice idea. But can you point to a collection of Representatives, Senators, and a President we could have elected over the past 12 years that would have prevented this?

  4. Re:Which is the same thing as saying... by rmdingler · · Score: 2

    Maybe these guys?

    --
    Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.

    Ernest Hemingway

  5. Re:Generals with benefits by CanHasDIY · · Score: 3, Insightful

    In a sane world, Clapper and Co would be facing criminal charges.

    Then a firing squad.

    FTFY

    --
    An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
  6. Great legal teams by AHuxley · · Score: 2

    Different groups in the US have had some great results in open US court: "program violates the U.S. Constitution":
    http://www.freedomwatchusa.org...

    --
    Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"