Posted on 07/26/2013 7:46:40 AM PDT by NOBO2012
Do you remember when citizens still had a reasonable expectation of privacy (c. 1776-2007)? You know, from the Constitution?
I guess because of all the “phony scandals” talk radio has ginned up, or something, we’re getting a timeout and have lost that privilege for the time being.
The U.S. government has demanded that major Internet companies divulge users' stored passwords, according to two industry sources familiar with these orders, which represent an escalation in surveillance techniques that has not previously been disclosed.
Butt don’t worry, because Microsoft says it does not participate:
A Microsoft spokesperson would not say whether the company has received such requests from the government. But when asked whether Microsoft would divulge passwords, salts, or algorithms, the spokesperson replied: "No, we don't, and we can't see a circumstance in which we would provide it."
Really? Except maybe this one?
According to an article published on Thursday by the British newspaper, internal National Security Agency memos show that Microsoft actually helped the federal government find a way to decrypt messages sent over select platforms, including Outlook.com Web chat, Hotmail email service, and Skype.
Google, in responding to the story, said likewise:
"We take the privacy and security of our users very seriously."
And you can take that to the bank, because Google’s official motto is “Don’t Be Evil”...
(Excerpt) Read more at michellesmirror.com ...
The only right to privacy in this country involves killing babies. Can’t talk about that.
What caused you to excerpt your own blog?
2.) Given the cronyism we've already seen from President You Didn't Build That and his minions, I believe we'd also have to be fools not to wonder whom or what the feral government is selling or renting the data to. Who would our data be of value to? Who or what would be glad to contribute to the Democratic [sic] party in return for access to it? What could it be used for? What could be done with it? Who or what would benefit if so-called "safety procedures" or "privacy standards" were so-called "accidentally" relaxed?
3.) Given we already know about vast quantities of data on us the feral government is keenly interested in, how much more data does it already have access to, and how much more data is it in the process of granting itself access to? How reasonable would it be to assume we've thus far seen only the tip of the iceburg?
Two recently posted threads:
Feds tell Web firms to turn over user account passwords
Feds put heat on Web firms for master encryption keys
So, I think it safe to say that they want all of it.
They will use the data against us. They will blackmail or criminalize anyone who stands up against them.
I think you have hit the nail on the head.
There's a descriptive informational brochure I made illustrating this change in government/citizen relationship here.
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