Government surveillance

(By Glenn Greenwald via Tomdispatch) [This essay is a shortened and adapted version of Chapter 1 of Glenn Greenwald’s new book, No Place to Hide: Edward Snowden, the NSA, and the U.S. Security State, and appears at TomDispatch.com with the kind permission of Metropolitan Books.] On December 1, 2012, I received my first communication from […]

Domestic Surveillance

Greenwald vs NSA’s Hayden: Glenn Wins in a Slam Dunk

Juan Cole

( Commondreams.org joint project ) Greenwald vs NSA's Hayden: Glenn Wins in a Slam Dunk Journalist Glenn Greenwald, who brought the Edward Snowden documents to the world, debated former CIA and NSA head Michael Hayden last night in Toronto. The debate was hosted by Munk Debates and also featured Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian and rightwing […]

Domestic Surveillance

The Limitations of Washington’s Proposed NSA Surveillance Reforms

Juan Cole

(By Kara Brandeisky for ProPublica) Ten months after Edward Snowden’s first disclosures, three main legislative proposals have emerged for surveillance reform: one from President Obama, one from the House Intelligence Committee, and one proposal favored by civil libertarians. All the plans purport to end the bulk phone records collection program, but there are big differences […]

censorship

Rep. Mike Rogers Says Snowden’s To Blame For Russia’s Aggressive Actions Against Ukraine

Juan Cole

Mike Rogers is still willing to spread his stupidity to any new outlet that will have him. Despite the NSA and FBI being unable to find any evidence that Snowden colluded with Russian intelligence, Rogers continues to insist the former analyst is a…

censorship

Google’s Larry Page: We can’t Have NSA Spying and a Functioning Democracy

Juan Cole

Google’s Page says US online spying threatens democracy (via AFP) Google co-founder Larry Page on Wednesday condemned US government snooping on the Internet as a threat to democracy. His comments came during an on-stage chat at a prestigious Technology Entertainment Design gathering, where a day earlier fellow Google… ——- Related video: Bloomberg News: “What […]

CIA

Nancy Pelosi Admits That Congress Is Frightened of The CIA

Juan Cole

Over the past few months, one thing we keep hearing over and over again from defenders of the intelligence community is that everything is under control and “legal” because Congress has powerful oversight. We’ve shown, repeatedly, how that’s something…

Domestic Surveillance

When it is Feinstein being Spied on, Suddenly she Squawks

Juan Cole

(By Juan Cole) Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA) took to the senate floor on Tuesday to denounce the Central Intelligence Agency for spying on her staff as it undertook an investigation into the CIA torture program conducted under the Bush administration. The corporate media in the US refer to it as an “interrogation” program, often playing […]

Domestic Surveillance

Edward Snowden: The US is Undermining its own Cybersecurity

Juan Cole

SXSW: Snowden Touts Encryption, Swipes at NSA (via slashdot) In a Google Hangout with an auditorium full of South by Southwest attendees, government whistleblower (and former NSA employee) Edward Snowden suggested that encrypted communication should become more ubiquitous and easier to use for the majority of… —– The video: Edward Snowden and ACLU at […]