FBI 'secretly spying' on Google users, company reveals

[Britton30]

The FBI used National Security Letters -- a form of surveillance that privacy watchdogs call “frightening and invasive” -- to surreptitiously seek information on Google users, the web giant has just revealed.
Google’s disclosure is “an unprecedented win for transparency,” privacy experts said Wednesday. But it’s just one small step forward.

Source: Fox News

 

[Gary]

This is nothing new, The FBI has been doing such things since it's inception, but now it is on The Net.

 

[Layback Bear]

I don't think that is news as they claim. Every country has methods of watching things they think need watching. Catching the bad guys is not always as sweat and lovely as some would like it to be. This country and many others are not going to let the bad guy's communicate around the world using the internet with out watching what is going on.
If you think about it using your own thought and not those crammed at you ever day by the news media you want the government monitoring in order to catch the bad guy's before they do the big boom.
Just a few weeks ago the FBI caught some bad guy's trying to blow up a huge bridge right out side of Cleveland Ohio. Of course the FBI didn't disclose all the methods they used to monitor these people in order to catch them. It probably save hundreds if not thousands of lives.
Years ago the FBI followed the bad guys around. Tapped their phones, search through their garbage, took all kinds of pictures ect. Now they just added watching the internet and cell phones.
New technology brings on new methods of monitoring.
Rulers, leaders and governments have been monitoring for thousands of years. If this country would of done a better job of monitoring the World Trade Center would probably still be standing and the lives of 3000 people saved.

 

[Cr00zng]

Layback Bear is correct, this has been going on for awhile by now and it is too late to wake up...

The Supreme Court recently struck down a challenge to the warrantless phone tapping used by the government. In the hearing, the U.S. Department of Justice Solicitor General Donald Verrilli argued that citizens have nothing to worry about in losing their privacy if they have nothing to hide. in another word, behave people if you don't want us to nail your ars, because we are monitoring you...

Then there's AG Eric Holder told Sen. Rand Paul that "hypothetically" drone strikes could be used on U.S. soil to kill Americans. Note, that using the drones to monitor Americans within the US is perfectly acceptable.

By all means prevent another terrorist attack, but do it without setting aside the Constitution. Get the warrant if, well, it is warranted...

 

[nommy the first]

VPN + DuckDuckGo in stead of Google = Privacy.

Of course they are monitoring you. Even more, I bet significantly much money on Google also selling your data and recent search history to companies.

 

[Cr00zng]

There's nothing wrong with getting political every once in while, as long as people behave. Otherwise there will be an "authorized drone strike" for people who don't....:roflmao:

 

[Cr00zng]

VPN + DuckDuckGo in stead of Google = Privacy.

Of course they are monitoring you. Even more, I bet significantly much money on Google also selling your data and recent search history to companies.

That's a sucker bet... More than 95% of Google's income is coming from advertisement; you bet your dupa that they do sell your data...

 

[indianacarnie]

This thread is going to get very political very soon I'm afraid, so I deleted my last post here. This is my favorite spot/nook on the web and I have no desire to suffer Carls fate. I don't agree with some of the things already said here and do agree with other comments.

What has to be remembered is that Data by itself is neither good nor bad. Its whats DONE with that data. It can be ignored, like much of it is even if its germaine (i.e. WTC) or can be acted on.

I too use DuckDuckGo most of the time for the little extra privacy but am under no illusions about it. If a Government entity WANTS your particulars, it'll get them.

 

[indianacarnie]

There's nothing wrong with getting political every once in while, as long as people behave. Otherwise there will be an "authorized drone strike" for people who don't....:roflmao:

EXCEPT that its not allowed here. Rule 8, No discussions of religion, politics, or firearms.

I frequent a "political" site (under this same username btw) and when I feel like talking politics THATS where I go. This site is a haven to me and I don't want to lose that.

 

[Thorsen]

I don't think duckduckgo sells your info, but I would say it would be just as easy to serve them with NSL's as it is with google. The key here would be the vpn... I have not researched this but I think I know how this is supposed to work...

As for the 'Breaking News' as others have said, this is nothing new, but I don't agree with it. It is a process of monitoring people who are not criminals. If left unchecked, it turns all citizens into suspects in the eye of the law instead of through due process.

This would be news if google reported that in 2012 there were 16,000 requests in 2011 and then 12,360,000 requests in 2012.... that would be scary. 16,000 requests vs. the number of people who go onto google isn't that much. 12million requests would be a sign of broad sweeping data collection on internet users. Otherwise, this is just more evidence of the police state's power to spy on it's own citizens.

Also as Indianacarnie said, I don't mean to post political either. I veiw this as a Human rights or ethical matter. also, it relates to technology

 

[Layback Bear]

I don't think my statement is political. Just states that monitoring of people and governments has been going on for thousand of years. Today we have new technology so we have new methods of monitoring. Just means it has happened in the past, is happening now and I believe it will happen in the future.

 

[Cr00zng]

EXCEPT that its not allowed here. Rule 8, No discussions of religion, politics, or firearms.

I frequent a "political" site (under this same username btw) and when I feel like talking politics THATS where I go. This site is a haven to me and I don't want to lose that.

Not like it matters, but I've never red the rules... Thanks for the reminder...

 

[Cr00zng]

Not like it matters, but I've never red the rules... Thanks for the reminder...

http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/8-forum-rules-info-please-read.html

After indianacarnie's gentle reminder, wouldn't this be viewed as violation of rule #1 and possibly #2? :busted:

 

[Borg 386]

The fact remains, if you don't want to afford anyone the opportunity to garner information on you, keep it offline as much as possible.

 

[Britton30]

Not like it matters, but I've never red the rules... Thanks for the reminder...

http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/8-forum-rules-info-please-read.html

After indianacarnie's gentle reminder, wouldn't this be viewed as violation of rule #1 and possibly #2? :busted:

Nope, it is not rude nor useless and actually offered you some info.

 

[Cr00zng]

Nope, it is not rude nor useless and actually offered you some info.

That information was posted earlier and replied to; repeating the same is a "me too" or useless, provided you'd want to take the rules at their face value...