The executive order that led to mass spying, as told by NSA alumni

[LiberalArkie]

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2014/08/a-twisted-history-how-a-reagan-era-executive-order-led-to-mass-spying/

One thing sits at the heart of what many consider a surveillance state within the US today.

The problem does not begin with political systems that discourage transparency or technologies that can intercept everyday communications without notice. Like everything else in Washington, there’s a legal basis for what many believe is extreme government overreach—in this case, it's Executive Order 12333, issued in 1981.

“12333 is used to target foreigners abroad, and collection happens outside the US," whistleblower John Tye, a former State Department official, told Ars recently. "My complaint is not that they’re using it to target Americans, my complaint is that the volume of incidental collection on US persons is unconstitutional.”

The document, known in government circles as "twelve triple three," gives incredible leeway to intelligence agencies sweeping up vast quantities of Americans' data. That data ranges from e-mail content to Facebook messages, from Skype chats to practically anything that passes over the Internet on an incidental basis. In other words, EO 12333 protects the tangential collection of Americans' data even when Americans aren't specifically targeted—otherwise it would be forbidden under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) of 1978.



Snip

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2014/08/a-twisted-history-how-a-reagan-era-executive-order-led-to-mass-spying/

[WillyT]

1. K & R !!!

[grasswire]

2. doncha know that Snowden's question about EO was just a "training matter"?

from the interview:

In a May 2014 interview with NBC, former NSA contractor Edward Snowden said that he specifically asked his colleagues at the NSA whether an executive order could override existing statutes. (They said it could not.) Snowden’s lawyer, Jesselyn Radack, told Ars that her client was specifically “referring to EO 12333.”

This is a really importantarticle. Thanks.

[RoccoR5955]

3. It figures that Ronnie Rat was responsible.

Doesn't he hold the root responsible for most of what's wrong with our country today?

[IDemo]

4. Right on the heels of the Church Committee

That'll show 'em!

[woo me with science]

5. Our Constitution: Just a goddamn piece of paper.

Fascists.

K&R. This is important.

[grasswire]

6. Kick for Octafish to see.

Octafish has the best file. of documents.

This article is excellent history

[woo me with science]

7. kick