

U.S. surveillance of citizens explodes with a wealth of records requests


I. American Spying on Citizens Hits Record High 










U.S. Police




Source: The New York Times

Comments     Threshold


RE: need more data
By Etsp on 7/9/2012 3:29:48 PM , Rating: 3
I agree with you there. That 1.3 million requests were made is meaningless without any other metric. I'm willing to bet more than half of those requests were related to other requests (part of the same case against someone).

However, what they did say was that 1 in 3 requests were emergency requests that did not necessarily have warrants or other formal documentation or oversight. I am concerned about that, and I fully believe that these types of requests need to be audited heavily (after the fact) for abuse.

RE: need more data
By kleinma on 7/9/2012 3:51:27 PM , Rating: 2
Sure, and like I said (and you concurred with) we need real data on what the requests are being used for, and what information is being granted.

If 1 in 3 are emergency requests, that is around 433k emergency requests. So out of that count, how many are requests for tower/gps info on a missing person, at the request (or pleas) of the family. How many are to prevent an imminent threat (foreign or domestic) and how many are shady operations that the general public would actually have a problem with?

RE: need more data
By BZDTemp on 7/10/2012 7:58:28 AM , Rating: 1
I don't need another metric apart from considering the population size when looking at that number. The 1.3 million number makes it pretty clear something is very wrong.

If we start thinking that anybody innocent should be fine with wire taps and what not then that put us a big step close to 1984!

RE: need more data
By Adonlude on 7/11/2012 11:07:59 AM , Rating: 2
I agree. This article reads like Big Brother is watching. If the Gov't is fighting transparancy then I say shut the wiretaping down until they read the constitution.

