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NSA: We Mulled Ending Phone Program Before Edward Snowden Leaks
Mark Wilson writes Edward Snowden is heralded as both a hero and villain. A privacy vigilante and a traitor. It just depends who you ask. The revelations he made about the NSA's surveillance programs have completely changed the face of online security, and changed the way everyone looks at the internet and privacy. But just before the whistle was blown, it seems that the NSA was considering bringing its telephone data collection program to an end. Intelligence officials were, behind the scenes, questioning whether the benefits of gathering counter-terrorism information justified the colossal costs involved. Then Snowden went public and essentially forced the agency's hand.
The revelations did not change the way *I* looked at the Internet and privacy. It merely confirmed my well-justified suspicions.
I think the same statement can be made by most people on slashdot, and by most technicians in general.
The only people who were surprised were the technically ignorant.
Big deal. If you are running a program which costs money or time, you should be considering whether it is worth running periodically regardless of whether it's a program to collect phone data or bringing donuts to the office. If you aren't revisiting that decision, you're doing your job badly.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying they're doing a good job. Just that "Oh, yeah, we considered cancelling that program" is a stupid comment which doesn't excuse anything. Most likely they kept the program more because you don't give up power and money once you have it, and they really didn't care about efficacy.
Even if the NSA was considering terminating these programs due to cost, that's not the same as terminating them because domestic surveillance exceeds the NSA's mandate. It's kind of like saying that we don't jail people for homosexuality because the prisons would cost too much: while the argument does end the injustice in the short term, it leaves open the possibility of it returning in a way that a moral argument doesn't.
"Because Science" is one step from "Because old book". Try "Because of my experiment testing my falsifiable assertion".
I was contemplating ending my burglary career, but one of my accomplices grassed me up to the cops. So I sent the lads after him, and then decided my illegal housebreaking spree must continue with renewed vigour.
The moral? Snitches get stitches.
I also mulled laying off gambling before I went broke.
Therefore I am, morally speaking, thin and rich.
Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
that it's stopped.
Mm hmmm.
(google "disinformation")
Where are we going and why are we in a handbasket?
Nice to know that the value of american citizen's privacy never factored in, just the cost to the federal budget.
Bro-fisted, chest-bumped and laughed our asses off! I mean, stop doing what we do best? That'll be the day.
"He promised he wouldn't cum in my mouth! Promised!"
Prove anything by multiplying Huge Number times Tiny Number
No, the logic of the article is "now that she knows that I cheated I am forced to continue cheating forever, because F**K HER what makes her think she has a say. Because the guy who told on me is a traitor and we can't reward traitors. Also I'll send him to the hospital if he comes out of hiding"
That's the logic of the article.