It’s funny how corporations are distancing themselves from the NSA surveillance scandal and PRISM. They know many Americans are outraged at these actions. I think Yahoo is getting that.
Yahoo is asking US courts to release files that clearly reveal Yahoo?was vehemently opposed to the government’s demand to read people’s email and do other surveillance acts without the people’s knowledge or approval, or without proper search and seizure warrants. In 2008, Yahoo lost a case in which they tried to stop this kind of surveillance. Until very recently, they couldn’t even reveal it was the company that lost the case. Civil libertarians say if Yahoo can release these files, then we’ll know more about what our government is up to, especially the NSA and FISA and organizations of that kind. One?Yahoo blogger said, “I think there are better ways to protect the rights of U.S. persons who may be affected by this surveillance.”?Yahoo is just leading the charge. Other Silicon Valley corporations are also challenging secrecy and spying rulings.
So now that the public know what’s going on, at least to an extent, of course Internet companies are distancing themselves. Can you blame them? And I think they’re being sincere. Remember, the NSA and other gov’t agencies came to them, not the other way around. Why do you think the courts are fighting to stop these files from being revealed and these companies are fighting to release them? But I am a little afraid of what could be revealed if these files went public. Think about what we already know. What secrets will these files teach us and how less confident will we be in our gov’t and corporations?
This is playing out better than any daytime soap I ever grew up watching (yes, I am keeping my man card on that one!). For some time now, Eric Snowden has been held in the Moscow airport waiting for someone to grant him asylum. Now, it looks like some people have come to the rescue.
Latin American countries Bolivia, Venezuela and Nicaragua offer asylum to the man who blew the whistle on the National Security Administration. This comes in the wake of the Bolivian president having his plane stopped. Rumors circulated Snowden was on board that plane, and the plane was forced to stop in Austria and Bolivian President Evo Morales?was searched. Obviously, Snowden wasn’t onboard. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro praised Snowden?for exposing the NSA”s surveillance on American citizens and European leaders. “He has told the truth, in the spirit of rebellion, about the US spying on the whole world,” Maduro stated in a public speech. Ecuador has also expressed support for Snowden.
I’m wondering why Central America is opening the welcome mat before anyone else. Maybe it’s because of that Bolivian plane incident. Maybe it’s the already icy relations between the US and Venezuela. Is this a way for these countries to show up the current administration? I wonder what the next twist will be. I wonder will he finally leave that airport. And how will the US respond?
The Eric Snowden/NSA saga is the dubious gift that keeps on giving. First we find out they’re collecting info on our cell phones, smartphones, emails and social media posts. Now, we find our they’re doing the same to our European allies.
That’s right! Snowden’s documents just revealed the US government has tapped over a half billion phone calls, emails and text messages a month on our European allies. Apparently this started five years ago. And the main target is Germany. In Germany alone, an estimated 20 million phone calls and 10 million Internet transactions were monitored by the National Security Agency on a daily basis! Naturally, European leaders are disappointed and outraged. German authorities?say these acts rival that of the 20th century Cold War. France Prime Minister Laurent Fabius?calls this type of spying ?unacceptable, and demand answers. Luxembourg’s foreign minister calls this disgusting. There are calls for US Secretary of State John Kerry to come to EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium to explain these allegations.
What is this going to do to US-EU relations? These revelations come at a time a major trade pact worth billions of dollars is on the line. Could this hinder those talks, or at the very least, affect them? Germany, the main target, is also Europe’s financial leader. It has the 4th largest GDP in the world and an unemployment rate of 6.5%. Correct me if I’m wrong, that’s the lowest rate in the EU (Spain’s unemployment rate is in the 20s, for those who want to compare). I can only imagine this isn’t going to help European and American relationships much. Remember in 2003, how strained the continents were over going to Iraq? That may pale in comparison to this. I can imagine while some may halt their trip because of this. And what would these revelations do to the economy?
The NSA surveillance crisis hit a predictable turn over the last 24 hours. Eric Snowden is the man who leaked documents of government officials collecting data from our cell phones and computers. Now, US authorities have a warrant for his arrest and are asking Hong Kong to detain him.
Snowden is being charged with theft and espionage. The complaint was filed in an Eastern Virginia District Court, home of Snowden’s former employer. Also predictable, the Justice Department says, “No comment.” They want to prosecute Snowden under the 1917 Espionage Act. So far, the Obama Administration has indicted more people under this act than any other presidency. In fact, of the nine people arrested in violation of the Espionage Act, six have been since 2009. Will Hong Kong give him up? That has to be seen. If they do,?it’s likely he won’t be sent to an American jail, but?Hong Kong’s maximum security prison throughout his?potential trial.?Another option for Snowden is asylum under the United Nations.
So what now? The Snowden case is far from over. It would be interesting to see where Hong Kong will stand. It will be interesting to see if the UN will try to give him asylum. I tell you what, if this case goes to trial, it will make the OJ Simpson trial of the mid 1990s look like small claims court! Now, it’s been revealed Britain has been spying on it’s citizens. So everyone will have a stake in this case. If the US vs. Snowden case did make trial, which side would?you be on?
So far in 2013, we’ve seen more than our fair share of cyber attacks. In May, eight were charged in heisting?over $40 million dollars from? banks?worldwide. That same month, a report came out about Islamic extremist hacking American banks and government entities.?Now, U.S. officials are talking of? steps of action.
They’re calling for banks to prepare and arm themselves against future cyber attacks. No bank big or small is immune. In the last several years, J.P. Morgan, Bank of America, and Capitol One have all been hit. In 2011, the SEC required banks to tell investors when their computers were hacked. There’s a ‘war game’ being played with banks and Homeland Security, a ‘what if” factor, and what’s to be done in worse case scenario. The?U.S. Treasury Department are collaborating with?the banking industry ?for better government responses in case of an emergency.
These are all great steps, but what about prevention? Not too many people have an answer to prevent this stuff before it happen. These aren’t just people who take money, but we’re talking about people who can and will destroy whole countries. There was an episode of Iranian hackers who weren’t just interested in getting money, but in total destruction. It’s scary of how destructive a push of a button can be today. Shouldn’t prevention be the key topic here?
In the past couple weeks, acronyms like PRISM, NSA and FISA have become household names, for not so good reasons. News of the US Government ordering companies from Verizon to Microsoft to gather data on us, whether we did anything wrong or not, has dominated conversation. Facebook and Microsoft weigh in.
Facebook and Microsoft become the first two companies to tell the public just how many people they were to get data on, due to orders from the National Security Advisor. Facebook’s count was 18,000. Microsoft’s count was 31,000. Keep in mind this less than one tenth of a percent of Americans that use these online services regularly. They did this to put consumer minds at ease and put to rest PRISM rumors and conspiracy theories. While Google CEO Larry Page blatantly denies spying.
I think Facebook and Microsoft did the right thing. First off, they came out and admitted their role in the NSA info gathering. Then they gave concrete numbers and other hard facts. Instead of denial, they went into great detail. While these numbers look big, keep the context in mind: billions use Facebook and Microsoft. I applaud Facebook and Microsoft for this move.?I just hope they’re telling the truth. Has this confession put your trust back in online corporations?
