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: 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.