Analysts at the National Security Agency can now secretly access real-time user data provided by as many as 50 American companies, ranging from credit rating agencies to internet service providers, two government officials familiar with the arrangements said.

Several of the companies have provided records continuously since 2006, while others have given the agency sporadic access, these officials said. These officials disclosed the number of participating companies in order to provide context for a series of disclosures about the NSA's domestic collection policies. The officials, contacted independently, repeatedly said that "domestic collection" does not mean that the target is based in the U.S. or is a U.S. citizen; rather, it refers only to the origin of the data.

The Wall Street Journal reported today that U.S. credit card companies had also provided customer information. The officials would not disclose the names of the companies because, they said, doing so would provide U.S. enemies with a list of companies to avoid. They declined to confirm the list of participants in an internet monitoring program revealed by the Washington Post and the Guardian, but both confirmed that the program existed.

"The idea is to create a mosaic. We get a tip. We vet it. Then we mine the data for intelligence," one of the officials said.

In a statement, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said that programs collect communications "pursuant to section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, " and "cannot be used to intentionally target any U.S. citizen, any other U.S person, or anyone within the United States."

He called the leaks "reprehensible" and said the program "is among the most important" sources of "valuable" intelligence information the government takes in.

One of the officials who spoke to me said that because data types are not standardized, the NSA needs several different collection tools, of which PRISM, disclosed today by the Guardian and the Washington Post, is one. PRISM works well because it is able to handle several different types of data streams using different basic encryption methods, the person said. It is a "front end" system, or software, that allows an NSA analyst to search through the data and pull out items of significance, which are then stored in any number of databases. PRISM works with another NSA program to encrypt and remove from the analysts' screen data that a computer or the analyst deems to be from a U.S. person who is not the subject of the investigation, the person said. A FISA order is required to continue monitoring and analyzing these datasets, although the monitoring can start before an application package is submitted to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.

From the different types of data, including their credit card purchases, the locations they sign in to the internet from, and even local police arrest logs, the NSA can track people it considers terrorism or espionage suspects in near-real time. An internet geo-location cell is on constant standby to help analysts determine where a subject logs in from. Most of the collection takes place on subjects outside the U.S, but a large chunk of the world's relevant communication passes through American companies with servers on American soil. So the NSA taps in locally to get at targets globally.

Commie In Chief.

Several of the companies have provided records continuously since 2006, while others have given the agency sporadic access, these officials said. These officials disclosed the number of participating companies in order to provide context for a series of disclosures about the NSA's domestic collection policies. The officials, contacted independently, repeatedly said that "domestic collection" does not mean that the target is based in the U.S. or is a U.S. citizen; rather, it refers only to the origin of the data.

The fact that the Federal Government has been going after whistle blowers for both Government leaks and Corporate Leaks, is pure Fascism and not Communism.

But you are too dumb to understand that ............

We have slid towards fascism every president since Hoover. It is just accelerating every administration since Nixon.

The mix of corporate interests and government transcends any political party.

That seems to be every liberals mantra since Barry's scandals have been exposed.

So how is that whole "hopey" "changey" thing working out for all you Barry voters?

Still drinking the koolaid when he tells you not to worry about the tyranny of big government?

If anyone has failed to notice chuckmo and UNedgeUKATED, who haven't an original thought in their heads have abandoned trying to defend Barry's lurch toward tyranny.

Think they'd be this quite on this subject if Bush were in the WH?

Wake up America...you're dreaming.

But this would still be happening if a republican was in the White House.

You wouldn't know a commie if it bit you in the butt .....you idiot!



This has been going on since the Patriot Act was pushed through by both parties, and supported by both parties for more than a decade now. Operations of one type or another have probably been going on much longer and supported by both parties.

The fact that the Federal Government has been going after whistle blowers for both Government leaks and Corporate Leaks, is pure Fascism and not Communism.

But you are too dumb to understand that ............

Same O .... same O.
When are these Libs going to admit that the Great Black Hope is a failure????

Lois

If anyone has failed to notice chuckmo and UNedgeUKATED, who haven't an original thought in their heads have abandoned trying to defend Barry's lurch toward tyranny.

New Poll Says American Public is Fine With NSA Surveillance Mon Jun. 10, 2013

Pew is out with the first poll asking the public what it thinks of the NSA phone record surveillance program. Unsurprisingly, the public thinks it's just peachy, by a margin of 56-41. What is surprising, though, is the epic size of the change in partisan attitudes since 2006. Back then, Republicans approved of the (recently revealed) NSA program by 38 points more than Democrats. Now, Republicans disapprove by 12 points more than Democrats.

This isn't the last word on the subject. The wording of the question is different this year compared to 2006, and that might account for a bit of the difference. But probably not much. Basically, when Bush was president, Republicans thought that monitoring telephone traffic was a great idea. Now, when Obama is president, they're not so sure—but Democrats think it's fine and dandy. This is about as remarkable a turnaround as I've seen on any subject in recent years.
http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2 ... rveillance