The NSA or National Security Agency tracks and stores data through phone calls, emails, and many other kinds of communications. Everyday 1.7billion messages are intercepted and stored on average. There are two major parts of the NSA the first part protects and secures the U.S government communications and informations systems, the other part is responsible for the collection and analysis of foreign communications and foreign signals intelligence. The NSA has an annual budget of 10+ billion, about 40,000 workers and their headquarters are located in Fort Meade, Maryland, U.S.
FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) makes it illegal to intentionally engage in electronic surveillance under appearance of an official act or to disclose or use information obtained by electronic surveillance under appearance of an official act knowing that it was not authorized by statute; this is punishable with a fine of up to $10,000 or up to five years in prison, or both. In addition, the Wiretap Act prohibits any person from illegally intercepting, disclosing, using or divulging phone calls or electronic communications; this is punishable with a fine or up to five years in prison, or both. The NSA’s actions are in direct violation of this.
We believe the NSA has no right to eavesdrop and store foreign countries’ emails, calls and communication. The individual country should have control over the use of communication in their country and should be fighting to stop the NSA’s tracking. The fact that they do it to other countries as well is what bugs us the most. We believe that most people would feel the same way as us including Americans, no one wants their calls or emails stored and saved; communication between one person and another should be completely private. NSA should seek permission before storing peoples emails and calls before going about more business. There may be nothing that anyone can do to stop them but they need to be stopped.
Terrorism is defined as “The use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims.” Although the unconstitutional recording and monitoring of private civilian ventures is not inherently violent, we feel as though it is an act of intimidation; with the political aim being to eliminate terrorism. We believe that it is inherently wrong to monitor some one without informing them, and the ostracization of a minority of “Terrorists” should not infringe upon the constitutional rights of the majority of non “Terrorists”. Furthermore it is highly unlikely that the monitoring of facebook messages, or phone calls would root out a Terrorist cell. This is proven by the Boston Bombing (The NSA’s monitoring has been in effect since the Patriot Act. After the 9/11 attacks, Congress passed the Patriot Act, which granted the President broad powers to fight a war against terrorism. The George W. Bush administration used these powers to bypass the FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) court and directed the NSA to spy directly on al Qaeda in a new NSA electronic surveillance program. However their surveillance extended to most US citizens). The NSA has been doing all of that since many years prior to Boston and yet it still happened. Although it is debatable as to whether or not the Boston Bombers have links to Al Qaeda, regardless they are still terrorists and were not stopped by the NSA surveillance. Proving that the NSA surveillance does little outside of violating the constitutional rights of American citizens, and the citizens of many other countries around the world.
By Duncan and Justin
FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) makes it illegal to intentionally engage in electronic surveillance under appearance of an official act or to disclose or use information obtained by electronic surveillance under appearance of an official act knowing that it was not authorized by statute; this is punishable with a fine of up to $10,000 or up to five years in prison, or both. In addition, the Wiretap Act prohibits any person from illegally intercepting, disclosing, using or divulging phone calls or electronic communications; this is punishable with a fine or up to five years in prison, or both. The NSA’s actions are in direct violation of this.
We believe the NSA has no right to eavesdrop and store foreign countries’ emails, calls and communication. The individual country should have control over the use of communication in their country and should be fighting to stop the NSA’s tracking. The fact that they do it to other countries as well is what bugs us the most. We believe that most people would feel the same way as us including Americans, no one wants their calls or emails stored and saved; communication between one person and another should be completely private. NSA should seek permission before storing peoples emails and calls before going about more business. There may be nothing that anyone can do to stop them but they need to be stopped.
Terrorism is defined as “The use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims.” Although the unconstitutional recording and monitoring of private civilian ventures is not inherently violent, we feel as though it is an act of intimidation; with the political aim being to eliminate terrorism. We believe that it is inherently wrong to monitor some one without informing them, and the ostracization of a minority of “Terrorists” should not infringe upon the constitutional rights of the majority of non “Terrorists”. Furthermore it is highly unlikely that the monitoring of facebook messages, or phone calls would root out a Terrorist cell. This is proven by the Boston Bombing (The NSA’s monitoring has been in effect since the Patriot Act. After the 9/11 attacks, Congress passed the Patriot Act, which granted the President broad powers to fight a war against terrorism. The George W. Bush administration used these powers to bypass the FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) court and directed the NSA to spy directly on al Qaeda in a new NSA electronic surveillance program. However their surveillance extended to most US citizens). The NSA has been doing all of that since many years prior to Boston and yet it still happened. Although it is debatable as to whether or not the Boston Bombers have links to Al Qaeda, regardless they are still terrorists and were not stopped by the NSA surveillance. Proving that the NSA surveillance does little outside of violating the constitutional rights of American citizens, and the citizens of many other countries around the world.
By Duncan and Justin