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They don't read literally everyone's private communications. The vast, vast majority of collected data is discarded without having ever been read. Only where it

They don't read literally everyone's private communications. The vast, vast majority of collected data is discarded without having ever been read. Only where it's relevant to national security are analysts permitted to actually read it. It's very naive to think that targeted surveillance, and the means to achieve it via bulk collection and other methods, isn't necessary in the incredibly hostile world in which we live. Please put away your dogmatic, child-like slogans and open your eyes to see the real world.

zirgs 3y ago
1. The government is not spying on you - that's a tinfoil hat conspiracy theory. 2. OK, the government is actually spying on you and here's why that's a good thing.
fnordfnordfnord 3y ago
>The vast, vast majority of collected data is discarded without having ever been read. [Citation needed] Notably, you're omitting anything about the role that intelligence collection and Parallel Construction play in prosecuting Americans for crimes which have nothing at all to do with national security, and which they have no possible way to defend themselves against the use of that information.
swayvil 3y ago
I disagree with your thesis but the fact that your original reply got flag-murdered bugs me.
- lubutu 3y ago
  It's unsurprising given the way it was phrased — very US-centric, and essentially that "if you disagree with me, you're as bad as Putin's soldiers in Ukraine"? Hardly the best way to encourage friendly debate.
  - swayvil 3y ago
    Ok good point.
    - livueta 3y ago
      I'll fess up to having originally flagged it despite generally not liking doing that. I did so because of the "flamewar style" of the argument - single-purpose fresh account, personal attacks on anyone who disagrees, phrased in the most inflammatory way possible. A comment like that isn't looking for earnest discussion, and it would have been very easy to write something less likely to set off a shit subthread. Besides, a later comment flatly asserting the impossibility of abuse, like three weeks after https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/19/fbi-intelligence-surveillance-court-january-6-blm https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/19/fbi-intellig... did rounds in the news, smells like good old-fashioned trolling. Anyone seeking to seriously discuss this topic is aware of that development.
dijit 3y ago
Good idea for you to read the leaks dear friend. you are in their databases as of 10+ year old information and their capabilities have grown massively since then. Every contact you have with another person is logged and catalogued- exceedingly likely recorded and at the very least automatically transcribed and easily searchable by thousands of people with no oversight. People were even using it to stalk women they liked. Your stance is not rooted in the facts as we know them.

zirgs 3y ago

1. The government is not spying on you - that's a tinfoil hat conspiracy theory. 2. OK, the government is actually spying on you and here's why that's a good thing.

fnordfnordfnord 3y ago

>The vast, vast majority of collected data is discarded without having ever been read. [Citation needed] Notably, you're omitting anything about the role that intelligence collection and Parallel Construction play in prosecuting Americans for crimes which have nothing at all to do with national security, and which they have no possible way to defend themselves against the use of that information.

swayvil 3y ago

I disagree with your thesis but the fact that your original reply got flag-murdered bugs me.

lubutu 3y ago
It's unsurprising given the way it was phrased — very US-centric, and essentially that "if you disagree with me, you're as bad as Putin's soldiers in Ukraine"? Hardly the best way to encourage friendly debate.
- swayvil 3y ago
  Ok good point.
  - livueta 3y ago
    I'll fess up to having originally flagged it despite generally not liking doing that. I did so because of the "flamewar style" of the argument - single-purpose fresh account, personal attacks on anyone who disagrees, phrased in the most inflammatory way possible. A comment like that isn't looking for earnest discussion, and it would have been very easy to write something less likely to set off a shit subthread. Besides, a later comment flatly asserting the impossibility of abuse, like three weeks after https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/19/fbi-intelligence-surveillance-court-january-6-blm https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/19/fbi-intellig... did rounds in the news, smells like good old-fashioned trolling. Anyone seeking to seriously discuss this topic is aware of that development.

dijit 3y ago

Good idea for you to read the leaks dear friend. you are in their databases as of 10+ year old information and their capabilities have grown massively since then. Every contact you have with another person is logged and catalogued- exceedingly likely recorded and at the very least automatically transcribed and easily searchable by thousands of people with no oversight. People were even using it to stalk women they liked. Your stance is not rooted in the facts as we know them.