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[Sir Finkus]

So the NSA is building a massive datacenter in Utah.  They are going to use it to monitor Internet communications and phone calls, and they're trying to break AES encryption. 

Based on the scale of the project, it looks to me like they aim to save virtually everything.  They want a database where they can type in a name, and get all your emails, phone calls, and even which books you check out at the library, and they're pretty close to having it. 

I know this isn't really all that new.  The constitution has had portions whited out and ignored for generations.  When the World Trade Centers were attacked, it got shredded, or maybe all the copies were lost.  What scares me is that we now have the technology to pull it off, and nobody seems to give a damn.

I hate to sound like one of those tinfoil hat conspiracy nuts, but GOD DAMN. 

Discuss.  Maybe I'm overreacting and Oceania really has always been at war with Eastasia.

[Max White]

Could you use this for civil services? I would love to be able to walk into a hospital, scan a card, and they have everything they need...

[Kogut]

Could you use this for civil services? I would love to be able to walk into a hospital, scan a card, and they have everything they need...

Great idea, now try <customer data leaked> in google.

[Tarran]

This just leaves me speechless.

I can only hope that either the NSA has serious hardware problems, or someone prevents them from doing this crap. Because I don't like the thought of some jerks who don't even care about the rules anymore running around with every single thing I say.

[jester]

I thought the US had been doing this for years anyway?  Arent they one of the best funded spy mobs in the us?

[Kogut]

I need to read this article but this thing is happening anyway and is called Echelon ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echelon_%28signals_intelligence%29 )

[Flying Dice]

Any day now they're going to finish forcing through mandatory chipping, I wouldn't be surprised.

[zilpin]

...  The constitution has had portions whited out and ignored for generations. ...

Portions?  Seriously, the entire bill of rights was gutted before your grandpappy was born.
The SCOTUS has even ruled that if a foreign nation convicts a US citizen of a felony crime in absentia, and the "crime" is not a crime in the US (e.g. criticizing government officials) , and the US citizen never set foot in said foreign country, the US citizen still loses all civil rights.  Most notably, the right to vote and hold public office, although in the case in question they were addressing a 2nd amendment challenge.
As if any of those rights privileges illusions really matter, anyways.

Get over it.  The US is no more a free republic than Rome was during Nero.  Just be happy you're not a slave, you silly pleb.

I, for one, welcome our NSA overlords.

[GlyphGryph]

the only way I would be okay with this, ever, is if the information was publicly available and no one was exempt.

Then they would have my wholehearted support, because that could be pretty amazing.

Since that is less likely to happen than the entire popular of the world suddenly turning vegetarian tomorrow, I'm pretty sure I'll remain staunchly opposed.

[Nadaka]

This isn't new.

[Svarte Troner]

Fuck America, drink Vodka!

[MonkeyHead]

My old man (optical communications engineer) worked on the UK equivalent of Echelon at GCHQ when the place was being built a fair few years ago. This isnt a new thing. Having typed this, I expect the black helicopters and snatch squad to arrive at my house in a few hours at most.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Just because they can collect all of this data doesn't mean they have the manpower to really sort through it to any meaningful degree.

[Frumple]

T'be honest MSH, that's almost worse than having 'em being completely on top of it. Means that it's only going to be used selectively, not universally, and gods only know the extent to which things like that get abused already. This'll just kick it up to the next notch, most likely

[nenjin]

Just because they can collect all of this data doesn't mean they have the manpower to really sort through it to any meaningful degree.

This is what analytics are for. Algorithms will sort data and group them into relevant entities.