Surveillance

(By Juan Cole) The Pulitzer Prize committee’s opinion that Edward Snowden is a public servant rather than a traitor or criminal, as evidenced in its award to The Guardian and The Washington Post for their reporting from his trove of government documents, is a scandal on the American Right. But it is not a new […]

Constitution

Dropbox putting NSA Spying advocate Condi Rice on its board Shocks Privacy Advocates

Juan Cole

YESTERDAY’S ANNOUNCEMENT that former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has joined the board of Dropbox has set tongues a-wagging in the IT sector. The company said Ms Rice be involved in securing a foothold in international territories, particularly…

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 […]

Domestic Surveillance

Invasion of the Corporate Data Snatchers: The Internet of Things

contributors

(By Catherine Crump and Matthew Harwood) Estimates vary, but by 2020 there could be over 30 billion devices connected to the Internet. Once dumb, they will have smartened up thanks to sensors and other technologies embedded in them and, thanks to your machines, your life will quite literally have gone online. The implications are revolutionary. […]

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…

Dissent

Jimmy Carter: I send Landmail because of NSA Surveillance “Abuse”

Juan Cole

NBC’s Meet the Press interviewed former president Jimmy Carter on Sunday, and he complained that the National Security Agency probably has him under electronic surveillance. He said that when he communicates with a foreign head of state, he sends an old-fashioned landmail letter! If a distinguished former president feels this way, imagine ordinary citizens. Related […]

Domestic Surveillance

Google Follows Snowden’s Advice, Encrypts All Gmail Messages

Juan Cole

Whether you think former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden is a hero or a traitor, at the very least you now know that the National Security Agency has expanded the scope of its surveillance of American citizens quite a bit. The government…

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 […]

Domestic Surveillance

Col. Manners on the Protocols of CIA Torture and his Love for the NSA’s Aunt Zelda

contributors

(By Tom Engelhardt for Tomdispatch) [Editor’s note]: Our old friend Colonel Manners (ret.) made his first appearance at TomDispatch last October. Today, he’s back for the third time. We have yet to run into anyone more knowledgeable in the mores, manners, and linguistic habits of the national security state. His CV (unfortunately redacted) would blow you away. At […]