They're recording all my calls. I know it's true.

[MineralMan]

20. You know, I can explain that, and I will:

They get those phone logs and keep them. When something turns up regarding terrorism or something else that falls under their purview and reveals a phone number that has been used to communicate, they check that phone number against those logs and make a list of all connections to that phone number, especially foreign connections.

Then, they go back to the FISA court and get a warrant or order that lets them investigate further and monitor those foreign phone numbers that connected to that phone that was used to communicate among the people involved. After they get the warrant, they may tap those phone numbers to see if any of the communications have to do with future plans to commit acts of terrorism. If they do, then they try to keep those plans from happening and deal with those making the plans.

And that's how it works. That's all been explained publicly. It makes a lot of sense, doesn't it. If they didn't have the old logs, they wouldn't be able to check and see who called that phone number they discovered. That's what meta-data is good for.