The ex-National Security Agency contractor, Edward Snowden, who is currently taking advantage of an asylum in Russia, is still releasing stolen NSA documents to major newspapers (ex. UK Guardian) around the world. In the latest wave of secrets revealed drama, the world dissevered that 35 of the close and not-so-close heads of states were under the NSA phone surveillance.
Angela Merkel expressed the most outrage since NSA listened to her cell phone conversations. The White House, and President Obama, categorically denied that NSA is currently monitoring or will monitor Merkel's cell phone. No explanation of the past sins.
Other presidents and prime ministers were also unhappy with the spying scandal. However, the biggest question remains. Why is the media outraged when a foreign politician's phone is tapped but when NSA infiltrates millions of private emails on Google and Yahoo, tracks all the cell phone conversation in US and billions around the world, the outrage dies out?
According to a top-secret accounting dated Jan. 9, 2013, the NSA’s acquisitions directorate sends millions of records every day from internal Yahoo and Google networks to data warehouses at the agency’s headquarters at Fort Meade, Md. In the preceding 30 days, the report said, field collectors had processed and sent back 181,280,466 new records — including “metadata,” which would indicate who sent or received e-mails and when, as well as content such as text, audio and video. - Washington Post
Is simply a double standard for us, regular folks, versus the "all mighty" politicians, the "rulers" of the realm. How does it feel to know that the laws you pass to control your population and spy on your own citizens somehow made a 360 turn and came back to ravage your privacy? Doesn't feel right, does it?
And please, stop treating us like imbeciles. The "metadata" is imbedded in the digital data. Do you really think that NSA would go through all the trouble to collect all those records just strip them form the actual data? It's like getting a popsicle and melting the ice to get the stick.
Will Angela Merkel or some other European country take action and end relationship with U.S.? Highly unlikely. With 46,000 U.S. troops stationed in Germany, basically a lifeline to local economy, 11,000 in Italy, 10,000 in United Kingdom, and smaller deployments all over the Europe, U.S. is the only western country with enough power to run NATO and protect Europe and rest of the world. The economic synergy between U.S. and Europe is also an essential part of the relationship. So in short, Americans are free to do whatever they want under the umbrella of national security.
What we should worry about is the fact that privacy is long time gone. With our lives revolving around webcams, smartphones, smart TVs, cable boxes with built in microphones, iPads, and laptops, hacking into any of those devices became a new surveillance standard. I used to smirk at people who tape over their laptop webcams but now I consider them prophetic. Thank you general brand blue painter's tape. Thank you for keeping my chiseled chest private.
