[The_Victor]

I'm probably the only one annoyed by this, but the NSA program was not a wiretap. It was a satellite communications intercept. No alligator clips/recording devices/forwarding transmitters were used. < / analretention >

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I like it that the MSM uses the term wiretap....just indicates out untechnical they are......and behind the times....

[Ben Hecks]

I'm probably the only one annoyed by this, but the NSA program was not a wiretap.

The "wiretap" description annoys me also. What's ironic is that many foreign countries have the capability to eavesdrop but no one seems to be concerned with them.

[Logical me]

"I'm probably the only one annoyed by this, but the NSA program was not a wiretap. It was a satellite communications intercept. No alligator clips/recording devices/forwarding transmitters were used. < / analretention >"

Absolutely right. It actually is a radio transmission. Each transmission is a unique frequency so every phone, citizen band, etc, etc, could be monitored by existing equipment. There is no privacy. Maybe an easier explanation is when you turn on your radio, you turn to a unique frequency to receive the transmission. Each transmission is given a unique bandwidth for transmission and easily intercepted. Some transmissions require decoding. With the advent of computers, many bandwidths can be monitored at any time. But to intercept all communications would require a computer the size of a building and to monitor all calls would probably require hundred of thousands of people. I'm sure there is more to this than I understand since I only had 2 years of electronic education many years ago. But the physics of it is the same.