Confirmed: the US government has a massive program to track all phone calls

[Darkwater]

Big Brother standing tall. Oh well, stay outta the radar.

[Travis Munroe]

I personally don't care. Sure it is taking away some privacy that may have been had a decade ago however the government can be my guest and listen in to all my calls.... their loss.
At the end of the day, the world is a scary place these days and if listening into phone calls means a safer world, have at it.

[Canuck-Hater]

That's the thing though it doesn't keep you any safer.

[calgarywinning]

I wanna buy Realtor1 a copy of 1984.

Seriously. Privacy and your right to it is one of the only freedoms you can have.

[combustiblefuel]

Remember decades ago when all the "paranoid hippies" and conspiraciests yammered on about a micro chipped population to be tracked? They were called stupid and brushed off well...Guess who got the last laugh.

[Barnet Flame]

Is it John Oliver?

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by Realtor 1

I personally don't care. Sure it is taking away some privacy that may have been had a decade ago however the government can be my guest and listen in to all my calls.... their loss.
At the end of the day, the world is a scary place these days and if listening into phone calls means a safer world, have at it.

No offence, but the world isn't a scary place, it's no better or worse than it was forty years ago.

[doctajones428]

Originally Posted by calgarywinning

I wanna buy Realtor1 a copy of 1984.

Seriously. Privacy and your right to it is one of the only freedoms you can have.

I've read 1984, it's one of my favorite books, and I completely agree with Realtor1. I got nothing to hide, so if the government tracks my every move, whatever. They've already been watching us for years anyways.

[afc wimbledon]

What I find surprising is that you think the secret police will only use this information for official purposes, the reality is they will check your email to see if they can get their wife a few leads on houses for sale in the area or the like.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by afc wimbledon

No offence, but the world isn't a scary place, it's no better or worse than it was forty years ago.

Actually it's a lot better, especially if we're talking wars and violence.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by doctajones428

I've read 1984, it's one of my favorite books, and I completely agree with Realtor1. I got nothing to hide, so if the government tracks my every move, whatever. They've already been watching us for years anyways.

That doesn't mean it's ok.

[PsYcNeT]

"Nothing to hide" arguments are always my favorite albatross.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Realtor 1

I personally don't care. Sure it is taking away some privacy that may have been had a decade ago however the government can be my guest and listen in to all my calls.... their loss.
At the end of the day, the world is a scary place these days and if listening into phone calls means a safer world, have at it.

If you're curious to know about this program, what it monitors and what they use the information for, I've seen a couple good documentaries over the last couple weeks that laid it out quite well.

The United States of Secrets - Is a very informative documentary on the birth of the NSA and the wire tapping program that was pushed out by the Bush admin. It features some great interviews with key players on both sides, including Alberto Gonzales, Michael Hayden (former NSA director) and many others involved, including those who left the NSA because of this program.

Terms and Conditions May Apply - This focuses more on what information internet companies (Facebook, Google, Yahoo, etc..) and providers like AT&T and Verizon are allowed to track and provide to the government or sell to private companies for advertising data. And how it pretty much includes all information. It also goes into how the NSA loves facebook and google, because before them it made it difficult to get personal information on citizens, but now they basically provide it for them by given information to those entities.

I understand the sentiment that it's not a big deal if you have nothing to hide, but the amount of information they collect is scary. And the types of stories of people ending up wrongly accused/arrested/detained purely because of wording in an email are jarring as well.

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by Itse

Actually it's a lot better, especially if we're talking wars and violence.

Yes it's odd, I grew up in the UK in the 70's, we always knew in the event of any kind of conflict between US and USSR our lifespan was measured in minutes no matter where we were. Between that and the IRA it was an interesting place to grow up.

[Swift]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

"Nothing to hide" arguments are always my favorite albatross.

Exactly.

You wanna listen in on my phone calls? Sure, I've got nothing to hide.
You wanna open my mail before I do? Sure, I've got nothing to hide.
You wanna park your car outside my home and follow me everywhere I go? Sure, I've got nothing to hide.
You wanna spy into my home with a telephoto lens? Sure, I've got nothing to hide.
You wanna install video cameras in every room in my house? Sure, why not? I've got nothing to hide.

At some point, there's a limit to how much freedom you're willing to give up, right?

[calgarywinning]

Edward Snowdon was on CNN today and says they are keeping a dick database of nude photo's in relation to your person and being. I guess I have nothing to hide.

Really, the extension of the people that have nothing to hide is that you are a complete government conformist and happy with the line in the sand.

Personally, I like to go along with the Charter of Rights and Freedom and the Declaration of Independence. People who escaped overbearing governments set these in place for future generations so that people could be free from government oppression. Without this the government gets to move the line in the sand and hold you guilty when you cross it.

I just don't get it.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

"Nothing to hide" arguments are always my favorite albatross.

I usually just ask those people for their email password.

[Harry Lime]

Guilty is just a word with six letters.
By the way, kiwis are good for you, and you should eat kiwis.
Association for the Liberation of Freedom Lemurs is selling chocolates at the mall.

[WhiteTiger]

Originally Posted by Cameron Swift

You wanna install video cameras in every room in my house? Sure, why not? I've got nothing to hide.

Some people do this for an outside shot at winning $100,000...

[Pointman]

Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both. (Benjamin Franklin)