4 ms·

This is brilliant. This is how we'll get legislation passed reigning in the NSA. Elected officials will wake up and ask "Wait, you mean they're spying on ME?!"

SideburnsOfDoom 13y ago
"leaders, go out in public and express intense indignation over the fact that the privacy of their citizens is being systematically breached, and genuine indignation when they learn that their privacy has also been targeted." - Glen Greenwald https://github.com/poppingtonic/greenwald-30c3-keynote/blob/master/transcript/transcript.md https://github.com/poppingtonic/greenwald-30c3-keynote/blob/...
gizmo686 13y ago
In fairness, spying of congress (and the president, judges, etc) does seem much more concerning then spying on most citizens, as it would allow them to break the checks on their power that those bodies should provide. In fact, one of the largest concerns I have heard about surveleince is that it would allow them to blackmail politicians.
- sln 13y ago
  Yeah but if you're trying to catch criminals the signal to noise is far better with presidents, judges, and congress than with boring, normal citizens.
  - frandroid 13y ago
    Hehe, good one. FTR, the ratio is much lower when trying to catch foreign terrorists. :P
- coldtea 13y ago
  >In fact, one of the largest concerns I have heard about surveleince is that it would allow them to blackmail politicians Would? That has been standard fair at least since the days of J.E Hoover.
  - ChrisAntaki 13y ago
    And the technology keeps evolving.
- ChrisAntaki 13y ago
  > In fact, one of the largest concerns I have heard about surveleince is that it would allow them to blackmail politicians. Considering the NSA is recording the content of everything, let's be honest, over time they accumulate blackmail material on everyone. This applies to elected officials, and people who haven't even decided to run yet.
- InclinedPlane 13y ago
  Erm, we live in a democracy. Almost anyone in the country over the age of 30 could potentially become a member of congress in 2 years or less. Being able to discourage someone from running for office is potentially just as distressing as being able to influence someone already in power.
Crito 13y ago
Provided a narrow law protecting only congresspeople and their staff is not all that comes out of this.
vl 13y ago
I guess he didn't get the memo. It's a dragnet, senator, they spy on everyone.
- Coincoin 13y ago
  That's the point. He knows very well the answer is "Yes".
ketralnis 13y ago
No they won't. They'll just exempt themselves from it. Congress exempts itself from tonnes of laws.
- mey 13y ago
  [citation needed]
  - Artistry121 13y ago
    Congress is exempt from insider trading laws and many forms of arrest. A quick google search will reveal this.
    - kirubakaran 13y ago
      Not anymore http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STOCK_Act http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STOCK_Act
      - uptown 13y ago
        Except they then later repealed a major portion of the act - public disclosure. http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/04/16/177496734/how-congress-quietly-overhauled-its-insider-trading-law http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/04/16/177496734... http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/12/usa-congress-security-idUSL2N0CZ1NI20130412 http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/12/usa-congress-secur...

SideburnsOfDoom 13y ago

"leaders, go out in public and express intense indignation over the fact that the privacy of their citizens is being systematically breached, and genuine indignation when they learn that their privacy has also been targeted." - Glen Greenwald https://github.com/poppingtonic/greenwald-30c3-keynote/blob/master/transcript/transcript.md https://github.com/poppingtonic/greenwald-30c3-keynote/blob/...

gizmo686 13y ago

In fairness, spying of congress (and the president, judges, etc) does seem much more concerning then spying on most citizens, as it would allow them to break the checks on their power that those bodies should provide. In fact, one of the largest concerns I have heard about surveleince is that it would allow them to blackmail politicians.

sln 13y ago
Yeah but if you're trying to catch criminals the signal to noise is far better with presidents, judges, and congress than with boring, normal citizens.
- frandroid 13y ago
  Hehe, good one. FTR, the ratio is much lower when trying to catch foreign terrorists. :P
coldtea 13y ago
>In fact, one of the largest concerns I have heard about surveleince is that it would allow them to blackmail politicians Would? That has been standard fair at least since the days of J.E Hoover.
- ChrisAntaki 13y ago
  And the technology keeps evolving.
ChrisAntaki 13y ago
> In fact, one of the largest concerns I have heard about surveleince is that it would allow them to blackmail politicians. Considering the NSA is recording the content of everything, let's be honest, over time they accumulate blackmail material on everyone. This applies to elected officials, and people who haven't even decided to run yet.
InclinedPlane 13y ago
Erm, we live in a democracy. Almost anyone in the country over the age of 30 could potentially become a member of congress in 2 years or less. Being able to discourage someone from running for office is potentially just as distressing as being able to influence someone already in power.

Crito 13y ago

Provided a narrow law protecting only congresspeople and their staff is not all that comes out of this.

vl 13y ago

I guess he didn't get the memo. It's a dragnet, senator, they spy on everyone.

Coincoin 13y ago
That's the point. He knows very well the answer is "Yes".

ketralnis 13y ago

No they won't. They'll just exempt themselves from it. Congress exempts itself from tonnes of laws.

mey 13y ago
[citation needed]
- Artistry121 13y ago
  Congress is exempt from insider trading laws and many forms of arrest. A quick google search will reveal this.
  - kirubakaran 13y ago
    Not anymore http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STOCK_Act http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STOCK_Act
    - uptown 13y ago
      Except they then later repealed a major portion of the act - public disclosure. http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/04/16/177496734/how-congress-quietly-overhauled-its-insider-trading-law http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/04/16/177496734... http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/12/usa-congress-security-idUSL2N0CZ1NI20130412 http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/12/usa-congress-secur...