omnibus PRISM/NSA/free Edward Snowden/encryption tutorial thread

As a total aside, here's a site that streamlines the entire process of filing a FOIA request to pull FBI files: http://www.getgrandpasfbifile.com

It's fun! Getting an envelope in the mail addressed from the FBI (logo and all!) is such a cheap thrill.

this two-part piece on the history of the NSA and whistleblowers is a must-read:

https://www.nsfwcorp.com/dispatch/nsa-whistleblowers-for-dummies/412c6c31f2a8081c10456a2f2c1087f345176369/

https://www.nsfwcorp.com/dispatch/nsa-whistleblowers-for-dummies-ii/81bc80840972053356854f3ac8c87cc4834afb97/

― (The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Wednesday, July 3, 2013 5:30 PM (Yesterday)

thanks for this!

i'd never heard of this mag/blog before, but that was a really well-written piece. makes me want to finally pick up takeover and finish it for good. interesting thesis that it was the shift from economics to reacting against the expanding security state that led to the sorry democratic party we've got today (though the author doesn't go into how the democrats managed to reverse themselves on the former). teaser for morbs:

That turn against government and towards market solutions eventually led to where we are today under Obama, the worst of both the national security state and austerity politics, a smoldering toxic dump of all the worst that the Democratic Party has offered.

It's run by Mark Ames who used to do The Exile with Matt Taibbi - quite a few of the writers (Yasha Levine, etc) are the same. I've been meaning to get a subscription for a while.

ftr, that sentence i quoted isn't representative of the article itself at all; it's an excellent history

also the article does address the left's slide away from protecting leakers (with the ACLU as the vanguard!) - i hadn't finished the last section

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2013/07/05/french_surveillance_program_european_nation_has_similar_spying_program_as.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/07/us/in-secret-court-vastly-broadens-powers-of-nsa.html

NY Times sums up how FISA Court gave NSA more power; and how FISA Court is selected by Justice Roberts and is largely a rubberstamp despite its claims of being more than that

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/daniel-ellsberg-nsa-leaker-snowden-made-the-right-call/2013/07/07/0b46d96c-e5b7-11e2-aef3-339619eab080_story.html?hpid=z2

Ellsberg editorial re Snowden being correct in fleeing

Part 2 of Snowden interview.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2013/jul/08/edward-snowden-video-interview

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/07/10/196362/trapped-an-air-escape-from-moscow.html

Snowden’s best hope for breaking out of the transit area most likely hinges on whether he could sneak onto one of five weekly, direct flights to Havana, Cuba. One such flight landed Tuesday evening, another leaves Thursday afternoon. The main drawback? The path takes the plane directly over the United States, which could flout a standing treaty and force a regularly scheduled commercial flight to land.

Has everyone else amassed hundreds of links related to surveillance states due to Snowden's leaks? At one point I was reading about 5 articles about or related to it a day for a couple of weeks. Then I realised I wasn't reading anything else and couldn't really continue. But I keep all those links and many more to read for later.

I'm surprised no one has made a repository for links related to the surveillance state.

The NSA has done so.

So Snowden may just stay in Russia because its too difficult for him to fly anywhere

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/snowden-wants-meeting-with-human-rights-activists-lawyers/2013/07/12/237d5254-eac6-11e2-a301-ea5a8116d211_story.html?hpid=z1

Curmudgeon, link?

Here is Snowden's actual statement (far better to post the original, I feel):

http://wikileaks.org/Statement-by-Edward-Snowden-to.html

i think that's a joke about how the nsa has made a repository of links

xp

I can't imagine the NSA being objective. They would need some way to brainwash most of the people who work for them, so their links/info on surveillance states would be pretty bias and would not include one of the most dangerous organisations, in my opinion.

ts: waterface vs crimsonhexagon

Joking about NSA link list...

this belongs here:

http://www.avclub.com/articles/matmos-covers-bow-wow-wow,100019/

Olaf Koens @obk

Lukin adds: 'He doesn't look very well fed, a skinny guy. But he has a great haircut'

ts: waterface vs crimsonhexagon

― k3vin k., Friday, July 12, 2013 Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

taking sides

eliot argonaut

ok, so let me get this right: the reason he's stuck in russia is that there's literally no flight plan that doesn't go over a country that would force it to land so they could detain snowden?

ok, so let me get this right: the reason he's stuck in russia is that there's literally no flight plan that doesn't go over a country that would force it to land so they could detain snowden?

― the late great, Friday, July 12, 2013 Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

As we have seen, however, some governments in Western European and North American states have demonstrated a willingness to act outside the law, and this behavior persists today. This unlawful threat makes it impossible for me to travel to Latin America and enjoy the asylum granted there in accordance with our shared rights.

Man, what does the US have against this guy??

seems like the solution is a non-commercial flight (like morales's) where there might be some flexibility with the flight plan? i'm not sure how that works.

With Napolitano leaving, there are now 15 open top positions in DHS

_ok, so let me get this right: the reason he's stuck in russia is that there's literally no flight plan that doesn't go over a country that would force it to land so they could detain snowden?

― the late great, Friday, July 12, 2013 Bookmark Flag Post Permalink_

I am trying to interpret your tone. If what you say is taken at face value, yes. But I sense you're trying to convey some type of befuddlement, shock or surprise. Am I wrong? I had written a rant in response, in case I wasn't, but I don't fully understand ILXor dynamics, so I've chosen to censor myself.
--c21m50nh3x460n

I'm not sure why any reading of this post would merit a rant

eh no offense intended, it was an honest question

from what i can gather russia hasn't cleared him to leave yet?

_ok, so let me get this right: the reason he's stuck in russia is that there's literally no flight plan that doesn't go over a country that would force it to land so they could detain snowden?
― the late great, Friday, July 12, 2013 Bookmark Flag Post Permalink_

I am trying to interpret your tone. If what you say is taken at face value, yes. But I sense you're trying to convey some type of befuddlement, shock or surprise. Am I wrong? I had written a rant in response, in case I wasn't, but I don't fully understand ILXor dynamics, so I've chosen to censor myself.
--c21m50nh3x460n

I'm not sure why any reading of this post would merit a rant

Didn't mean to come off accusatory, so my apologies to the late great if I did.

Anyway, here is a video of Snowden's speech, from a Russian newspaper:

http://lifenews.ru/news/116311

How surreal is watching this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXXshWGrDEQ

I'm waiting for all the nouveau NSA/PRISM fiction and movies to come out already.

Just look at that lady's eyes.

I'm waiting for all the nouveau NSA/PRISM fiction and movies to come out already.

Had to rewrite the first third of a story I'm working on.

Actually, I'm working on one, as well.

Hope yours turns out better than mine.

Basically, we have to encrypt EVERYTHING

Travellers' mobile phone data seized by police at border - Telegraph

Officers use counter-terrorism laws to remove a mobile phone from any passenger they wish coming through UK air, sea and international rail ports and then scour their data.

It echoes concerns surrounding an almost identical power police can use on the streets of the UK, which is being reviewed by the Information Commissioner.

However, in those circumstances police must have grounds for suspicion and the phone can only be seized if the individual is arrested.

Mr Anderson said: “Information downloaded from mobile phones seized at ports has been very useful in disrupting terrorists and bringing them to justice.

“But ordinary travellers need to know that their private information will not be taken without good reason, or retained by the police for any longer than is necessary.”

Up to 60,000 people a year are “stopped and examined” as they enter or return to the UK under powers contained in the Terrorism Act 2000.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57593688/greenwald-snowden-documents-detail-nsa-blueprint/

I don't think this Greenwald statement will help Snowden get a flight that can find a place to refuel (or make it past the US) and make it South, but who knows.

http://news.yahoo.com/putin-snowden-dubious-present-174832824.html

In comments reported by Russian news agencies during a meeting with students, Putin noted that Snowden flew to Moscow on June 23 "without invitation," intending only to transit to another country.

But Putin says the United States intimidated other countries against accepting Snowden, effectively blocking him from flying further.

"Such a present to us. Merry Christmas," he was quoted as telling the students on the Gulf of Finland island of Gogland.

The NSA article of the day:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23328074

"Fugitive Edward Snowden applies for asylum in Russia"

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/house-committee-holds-hearing-on-nsa-surveillance-programs/2013/07/17/ffc3056c-eee3-11e2-9008-61e94a7ea20d_story.html?hpid=z1

Dem lawmakers claim they will change the Patriot Act. Will see.

FBI cites same old Zazi case to defend NSA, when numerous folks have suggested that Zazi was caught with a flashdrive from which evidence was obtained--not via NSA data collection.

Dem lawmakers claim they will change the Patriot Act.

That trick never works!

these people have ruined the internet as we know it, perhaps forever.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jul/17/nsa-surveillance-house-hearing

John C Inglis, the deputy director of the surveillance agency, told a member of the House judiciary committee that NSA analysts can perform "a second or third hop query" through its collections of telephone data and internet records in order to find connections to terrorist organizations.

"Hops" refers to a technical term indicating connections between people. A three-hop query means that the NSA can look at data not only from a suspected terrorist, but from everyone that suspect communicated with, and then from everyone those people communicated with, and then from everyone all of those people communicated with.

thanks Government of the world.

rip kevin bacon

Wasn't going to clutter this thread with so many links, but what the hay.

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2013/07/nsa-admits-it-analyzes-more-peoples-data-previously-revealed/67287/

Basically, trails of phone calls are being monitored. so if A phones B, when B phones C is also tracked, and also when C phones D. You know, just in case. *George Dubya laugh*

http://rt.com/usa/obama-ndaa-appeal-suit-229/

"Congress granted the president the authority to arrest and hold individuals accused of terrorism without due process under the NDAA". But Obama said he won't abuse of his power, and all of us should believe him because he has kept all his promises since the start of his reign (whoops.).

http://rt.com/usa/carter-comment-nsa-snowden-261/

Jimmy Carter sayin' it like he sees it. I want to see a face off of Nobel Prize winners: Obama vs Carter. My, how times have changed.

And a bonus, TSA searches valet-parked cars without warning/permission: http://www.whec.com/news/stories/S3101080.shtml?cat=566

(Slightly off-topic, I know.)

war criminal henry kissinger received the nobel peace prize in 1973.

carter otm

(insert usual chomsky diatribe about how all presidents are war criminals, especially jimmy carter)