WP doing serious damage to * NSA spying assertions

[usregimechange]

Guys, we need this to the front page so that all of our troops can get this to the public. Hoorah!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2087185

[usregimechange]

1. kick

[salin]

2. I read the same article as a bit of a whitewash

as in, something folks could live with. The line that replays in the story seems to be that the initial datamining is done by machines - a "widenet" - and gets studied for "patterns" - so yes thousands get swept up - but only one or two per thousand then gets identified as needing serious survellience - and then they apply for a warrant (but the odd thing is this... wouldn't they have to explain how they got the initial info (warrantless) to get the warrant per probable cause? This sounds fishy to me - as were it that case - the initial data would be at risk of thrown out as having been collected illegally).

The article keeps replaying the lack of real data on most folks (as in... don't worry folks, they will not tag you - so when they listen they will move on... don't worry.)

Only one time in the article do they state the obvious question.... so what happens to all of the initially mined data and information on individuals? The NSA won't say - and the implication is that it isn't just discarded. In four pages it is mosty about downplaying the program per "everyday citizens" with only one or two mentions of concerns by professionals (as in the guy who created the type of technology for data mining for corporations stating that he can not envision how this could be done without violating civil rights), and one throw away statement about the data likely being kept and no idea how it might be used. But given the length of the article (four pages) - the overall impression given in the read is ... don't worry, not a big deal.... nothing to worry about... a dangerous droning on imo.