FBI Pressures Internet Providers To Install Eavesdropping Surveillance Software
Again, massive trawling for information which violates the 4th Amendment.
The U.S. government is quietly pressuring telecommunications providers to install eavesdropping technology deep inside companies’ internal networks to facilitate surveillance efforts.
FBI officials have been sparring with carriers, a process that has on occasion included threats of contempt of court, in a bid to deploy government-provided software capable of intercepting and analyzing entire communications streams. The FBI’s legal position during these discussions is that the software’s real-time interception of metadata is authorized under the Patriot Act.
Attempts by the FBI to install what it internally refers to as “port reader” software, which have not been previously disclosed, were described to CNET in interviews over the last few weeks. One former government official said the software used to be known internally as the “harvesting program.”
Carriers are “extra-cautious” and are resisting installation of the FBI’s port reader software, an industry participant in the discussions said, in part because of the privacy and security risks of unknown surveillance technology operating on an sensitive internal network.
It’s “an interception device by definition,” said the industry participant, who spoke on condition of anonymity because court proceedings are sealed. “If magistrates knew more, they would approve less.” It’s unclear whether any carriers have installed port readers, and at least one is actively opposing the installation.
In a statement from a spokesman, the FBI said it has the legal authority to use alternate methods to collect Internet metadata, including source and destination IP addresses:
“In circumstances where a provider is unable to comply with a court order utilizing its own technical solution(s), law enforcement may offer to provide technical assistance to meet the obligation of the court order.”
Wild Thing’s comment.………….
Why on earth they ( Obama ) is so obsessed with what we do and say and think speaks volumes about him.
He attacks us, makes threats at us, we are the American people, we the people and we used to have rights. He treats us like we are spy’s instead of citizens of a country we love with all our hearts. FUBO.
We have almost completely lost our privacy. In this technological age it is possible for determined people or agencies to track most of our daily life. With the advent of camera phones and drones our privacy will become publically visual.
Dept Homeland Security and the Patriot Act were put in place as a result of 9-11 to protect us. Under an oppressive govt. though these have been built upon and used to violate the privacy of American citizens while at the same time refusing to profile muslims. Hello Orwell.