Original URL: Computerworld has an article on the final extension to the NSA's bulk collecting phone records.
The U.S. National Security Agency's controversial program for the bulk collection of domestic phone call records has been granted extension for the last time, according to documents released.
Under an order by the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, the NSA is now allowed to continue collecting the data for a three-month period until Nov. 28. The permission had previously been extended in June to Aug. 28.
The collection of phone records metadata, which did not include collection of information on the content of conversations, is one of many large-scale surveillance schemes of the NSA that were disclosed by former agency contractor Edward Snowden. The disclosures led to demands for the reform of government surveillance to protect people's privacy.
U.S. President Barack Obama approved as law in June the USA Freedom Act, legislation that reins in the program by leaving the phone records database in the hands of the telecommunications operators, while allowing only a targeted search of the data by the NSA for investigations.
While some provisions of the Act took effect immediately upon enactment, the ban on bulk collection of call records allowed for a 180-day transition of the program.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by davester666 on Thursday September 03 2015, @03:19AM
They aren't even really giving it up, but instead just REQUIRING the phone companies to keep all this data for them to troll through later.
(Score: 2) by Anal Pumpernickel on Thursday September 03 2015, @09:38AM
Exactly. People need to stop repeating the myth that this specific type of mass surveillance is ending.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Kromagv0 on Thursday September 03 2015, @12:36PM
One thing I keep telling people about this is that since the data is now held by a 3rd party the NSA, FBI, etc now don't need a warrant to get at the data all they have to do is ask and at worst send a somewhat polite letter requesting the data.
Also for those who think this is a partisan issue of the entire Minnesota Congressional delegation except Representative Keith Ellison (D) and Representative Tom Emmer (R) voted for it. The rest of them including Senators Franken and Klobuchar all voted for it. My former nuclear football carrying Representative John Kline voted for it and was one of the sponsors in the House of Representatives. To add insult to injury Representative Kline did respond to my letter but it was one about how this would protect our privacy and that the NSA needed time to properly shut down the program even though it was already shut down and at the time had been ruled unconstitutional.
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