Do We Have the NSA on the Run, or Is There a Much Worse Surveillance State in the Making?

[xchrom]

http://www.alternet.org/civil-liberties/growing-surveillance-state-has-all-appearances-public-private-partnership

Earlier this week, Obama's hand-picked panel charged with reviewing the nation's surveillance state issued a set of recommendations that includes limiting the indiscriminate mass collection of telephone records and other reforms. This came right after a decision by U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon issued a preliminary injunction barring NSA metadata collection related to a conservative activist (he later stayed the order to allow for an appeal).

However, while it may look like the NSA and surveillance state are on the run -- it's too soon to break out the applause. The White House panel's recomendations also included the suggestion that data collected on individuals should be held by telecommunications providers or a private third party. There is a threat that this surveillance state may simply reconstitute itself into an increasingly privatized apparatus that the government can access through fees and subpoenas.

VICE's Megan Neal reports that so-called “data brokers” – firms that spy on Americans' behavior and then sell that information to businesses looking to profit off of it – have become a $156 billion industry. Neal notes that the Senate Commerce Committee recently published a report looking into how these data marketers spy on Americans – the report shows how these firms label Americans under various categories depending on their financial security and other demographic categories, including “Ethnic Second-City Strugglers” and “X-tra Needy.”

One firm named in the report, Experian's “ChoiceScore,” says that it “helps marketers identify and more effectively market to under-banked consumers.” The consumers targeted for data collection include “new legal immigrants, recent graduates, widows, those with a generation bias against the use of credit,” and “consumers with transitory lifestyles, such as military personnel.” That's right – these data companies now want to spy even on American soldiers, so that they can be located and marketed to by firms selling cheap credit.

[Jesus Malverde]

1. bump... nt

[woo me with science]

2. They will do anything to make sure this surveillance state does not go away.

Last edited Sat Dec 21, 2013, 08:46 AM - Edit history (2)

I predict much manipulative PR and possibly some faux, cosmetic "reforms," but an ultimate attitude of, "FU, we're doing it anyway."

[KG]

3. Do We Have the NSA on the Run

[NealK]

5. Nope.

[NealK]

4. "the NSA and surveillance state are on the run"

They're waiting for the storm to be over and it will be business as usual. And the problem will continue to expand and abuses will get worse. Just my 2 cents.

[skepticscott]

8. I would not be surprised

if behind the scenes it is not already business as usual, for the most part. Publicly, they may be in damage control mode, but most of what they do is still well hidden and running normally, I'll wager.

[Recursion]

6. Keep in mind ex-CIA agent Snowden released absolutely 0 on the CIA's activities

What we're going to end up with is an NSA much less able to rival the CIA. Which isn't really a better situation.

[cantbeserious]

7. Best To Assume That The Obama Commission Is Window Dressing - Power Corrupts ....

eom

[CFLDem]

9. The NSA is like a tick

The harder you pull, the further it burrows into the skin. If you remove the body, the head will still remain.

The only way the NSA is going to be removed completely is if we get leaders who are willing to flame its ass.

The Cubs will be winning their second pennant in a row when that happens.

[Pholus]

10. Yeah. We could build stuff, but instead we "spy."

Real productive there. What a wonderful economic mode you guys planned outl!

[bemildred]

11. We are like cattle now, being "managed" by our "owners". nt

[xchrom]

12. +1

[Octafish]

14. Naughty? Nice?

The foreman decides what brand gets burned on which hide; and he's just working for the owner.

[woo me with science]

15. +1 Don't even need the quotation marks for that anymore.

We are, quite literally, managed and controlled human resources for their profit.

[99Forever]

13. The Assholes living inside the Washington DC Bubble...

... aren't ever going to give up their Ever Watchful Enforcer Division.