Boston Globe: Spy net may pull in all U.S. calls overseas

[Newsjock]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/253223_spying23.html?dpfrom=thead

Many Americans' privacy is at risk, some say

By CHARLIE SAVAGE
THE BOSTON GLOBE

WASHINGTON -- The National Security Agency, in carrying out President Bush's order to intercept the international phone calls and e-mails of Americans suspected of links to al-Qaida, has probably been using computers to monitor all other Americans' international communications as well, according to specialists familiar with the workings of the NSA.

... "They have a capacity to listen to every overseas phone call," said Tom Blanton, director of the National Security Archive at George Washington University, which has obtained documents about the NSA's using Freedom of Information Act requests.

... "The collection of this data by automated means creates new privacy risks," said Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, a watchdog group that has studied computer-filtered surveillance technology through Freedom of Information Act lawsuits.

... But even when no personal information intercepted by the NSA's computers make it to human eyes and ears, Rotenberg said, the mere fact that spy computers are monitoring the calls and e-mails may also violate the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable search and seizures.

more

[rodeodance]

1. we know so little of wht actually goes on.

[Cobalt Violet]

2. Do they really stop at international calls?

Some how I doubt it.

[EFerrari]

3. They don't. There was a LBN story yesterday I believe

that reported that.