Is the NSA thing related to Project Eschalon/

[mikeanike]

Or are they two seperate issue? For that matter when did the NSA actually solicit the phone companies to do this project? That's a scary question I haven't been able to find the answer to!

[populistdriven]

1. I don't know but read "The Cuckoo's Egg" if you haven't

[mikeanike]

2. what is that

a website or a book?

[Whoa_Nelly]

3. Project Echelon

http://www.echelonwatch.org/

Could very well be connected.

[mikeanike]

4. sorry for the spelling error

Something doesn't seem right to me regarding this issue? There is surprisingly little info coming out about it. When did it start? WHo authorized it? How much funding does it get? Was there any punishment towards the phone companies that didn't comply (ie Qwest)?

[htuttle]

5. Echelon uses a technicality to stay 'legal'

The story goes that the basic technique used in all the countries participating in the Echelon program is that they have at least one foreign national working in each monitoring station. They are the ones that actually receive the data about the host country's citizens. If they find something "interesting", they pass it on to the host country's intelligence agencies. This way, none of the countries can 'technically' be said to be spying on it's own citizens -- instead they are allowing a foreign 'allied' country to spy on their own citizens, then receiving any intelligence from this spying via sharing agreements.

It's lip service to the US Constitution (and that of Australia, Great Britain, etc...), but at least it's lip service. The new NSA spying program doesn't even do that. They just say it's now legal for them to spy on their own citizens. Period.

[mikeanike]

6. that's fascinating!

So in no way is this spying program linked to Echelon?

[htuttle]

7. No idea

The Echelon program is a multinational effort involving the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. I'm not sure if the current NSA spying program has any connection to it or not, but I suspect not. It's possible, though.

on edit:
One other thing. Echelon works by intercepting the telephone transmissions between relay stations. The phone companies have little or nothing to do with it. This new NSA program seems to involve the telephone companies directly.

[mikeanike]

8. True

I work in telecom now and damn it if I don't know that then I better find a new job!