Keeping an Eye on Government Snooping

abb_road writes "BusinessWeek looks at the need for better electronic privacy safeguards in light of NSA call monitoring, and more recent administration pushes for ISP data-retention. As the article discusses, though safeguards are already in place, they're easily bypassed, based on older communication norms and don't take into account any 'war-time necessity' arguments." From the article: "There's a crying need for better privacy safeguards that reflect today's world -- and mirror a consensus among America's gadget-happy, cell-phone addicts whose daily chats and text messages are grist for Echelon's computers."

Only terraists...

[gEvil (beta)]

Only terraists (terrans?) would be afraid of the government snooping on them.

Re:The US gov is suffering from bad PR.

[TripMaster Monkey]

They're in desparate need for a ministry responsible for PR, perhaps a Ministry of Propaganda?

They already have that. [foxnews.com]

Re:The US gov is suffering from bad PR.

[skorch]

We don't call them Ministries over here. In America it would be the Department of Propoganda and Reassurance, or PR Department.

Re:Only terraists...

[Dunbal]

its more to do with the privacy issue, can i come and put a camera in your bathroom?

      Actually this is a very good idea. Bathrooms can be used for many illegal things. A lot of home-made meth labs and bomb labs use the bathtub to mix and prepare chemicals. If we put a camera in every bathroom we will be able to win the War on Terror (tm) AND the War on Drugs (tm) at the same time! Great idea! Thank you, citizen. (/sarcasm)

Re:Only terraists...

[gEvil (beta)]

I'll let them put a camera in my bathroom as long as they also install an odor-transference device. If they're going to pretend to be in the bathroom with me, I want them to get the full effect.

Re:We'd best stop them now!

[Mysticalfruit]

Face it. We're all wearing the blue dress now...

consensus?

[Anonymous Coward]

There's a crying need for better privacy safeguards that reflect today's world -- and mirror a consensus among America's gadget-happy, cell-phone addicts whose daily chats and text messages are grist for Echelon's computers.

I thought the consensus on this important subject was OMG! Did U see that dress that Tammy was wearing today? LOL!!1!

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:Time to start encrypting *everything*.

[Anonymous Coward]

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the solution

[jaimz22]

"There's a crying need for better privacy safeguards that reflect today's world"

Wrap tin foil around everything!