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With essentially zero visibility, it's meaningless. Historically they could totally lie, be discovered, make headlines and still no one would go to jail. The f

by kabdib 11y ago

With essentially zero visibility, it's meaningless. Historically they could totally lie, be discovered, make headlines and still no one would go to jail. The folks behind this have more of a chance of getting tickets for jaywalking than they do of doing time for violating the laws prohibiting them from spying.

kabdib 11y ago
We record all your phone calls and email We know where your browsing has been We store it all in huge datacenters My God, how the money rolls in Sorry, that just happened. :-) But seriously, do we expect a huge cash cow to contractors and consultants to just go away like that? It seems bloody unlikely.
rtpg 11y ago
except when these things pass, Google & Co. can decide not to play ball and have legal backing to do so. Though in this case, Google still needs to collect info..
- tajen 11y ago
  The way a secret service orders a company to participate to their surveillance systems is not only using the law. It is often by performing ad hominem blackmailing, so even if the CEO orders everyone to reject participation, the low-level operator will let the NSA person in, and his boss will cover the leak in fear of his child being taken in for drug use at his high school.
  - pdkl95 11y ago
    In addition, some people will do it voluntarily (and not talk about it), motivated sometimes by profit (bribes) or some sense patriotism[1] and duty. There are many authoritarian collaborators in this country - including way to many from the tech industry. [1] misplaced, as they should be supporting the Constitution, not a particular administration
higherpurpose 11y ago
Indeed. They're basically saying "trust us, we've shut it down." Yeah, okay. It's even worse that it supposedly "leaked" only a few hours before the White House made the announcement public. I guess the White House has been paying attention at how to make things go viral, to fool everyone.

by kabdib 11y ago

kabdib 11y ago

We record all your phone calls and email We know where your browsing has been We store it all in huge datacenters My God, how the money rolls in Sorry, that just happened. :-) But seriously, do we expect a huge cash cow to contractors and consultants to just go away like that? It seems bloody unlikely.

rtpg 11y ago

except when these things pass, Google & Co. can decide not to play ball and have legal backing to do so. Though in this case, Google still needs to collect info..

tajen 11y ago
The way a secret service orders a company to participate to their surveillance systems is not only using the law. It is often by performing ad hominem blackmailing, so even if the CEO orders everyone to reject participation, the low-level operator will let the NSA person in, and his boss will cover the leak in fear of his child being taken in for drug use at his high school.
- pdkl95 11y ago
  In addition, some people will do it voluntarily (and not talk about it), motivated sometimes by profit (bribes) or some sense patriotism[1] and duty. There are many authoritarian collaborators in this country - including way to many from the tech industry. [1] misplaced, as they should be supporting the Constitution, not a particular administration

higherpurpose 11y ago

Indeed. They're basically saying "trust us, we've shut it down." Yeah, okay. It's even worse that it supposedly "leaked" only a few hours before the White House made the announcement public. I guess the White House has been paying attention at how to make things go viral, to fool everyone.