General Discussion

MineralMan

(151,051 posts)

15. The NSA has always been tasked with international communications

Thu Aug 8, 2013, 02:06 PM

Aug 2013

to and from the US, whether they involve U.S. citizens or not. Once the communication goes to or comes from someone outside of the US, it's within the NSA's jurisdiction. That's been part of the NSA's charter since it was created.

Even paper mail sent through the USPS is subject to examination, and that has been the case for a very long time. Similarly, international telephone calls, cables, and other communications have been monitored or tracked since the 1960s, at least.

There's nothing new about this, except for the medium. The goal has always been to discover nefarious activity originating outside of the US, and that appears to still be the goal. Ordinary communications are simply ignored, since they have nothing to do with the mission of the NSA, which is narrowly drawn.

For domestic communications, the FBI is responsible, and additional legal issues are involved before the FBI can access domestic communications.

That is how it works, and has worked for a very, very long time. No surprises in this.

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N.S.A. Said to Search Content of Messages to and From U.S. [View all] boston bean Aug 2013 OP

But Obama said there's no spying on Americans leftstreet Aug 2013 #1

There's not. They're spying on the foreign person the US citizen is talking with Recursion Aug 2013 #4

Remember when the NSA spying "on the foreign person the US citizen is talking with" rhett o rick Aug 2013 #6

That's not how the double bump works Recursion Aug 2013 #7

Do you believe the NSA should have any regulation and oversight? rhett o rick Aug 2013 #8

Significantly more than it does Recursion Aug 2013 #14

Well shit then, the NSA must look at all of my e-mail because of some smuck from Nigeria mrdmk Aug 2013 #35

That's more State's bag Recursion Aug 2013 #36

How do you think it works? Mojorabbit Aug 2013 #27

Or the foreign person the US citizen is talking *about* cthulu2016 Aug 2013 #9

The US person still has to be talking *to* a non-US person Recursion Aug 2013 #17

That's a lie, and you know it. Th1onein Aug 2013 #37

But they aren't excluding Americans talking with Americans Savannahmann Aug 2013 #10

Yes, they are. One party has to be outside of the US Recursion Aug 2013 #16

They only extract the info on the foreign person's end? leftstreet Aug 2013 #20

It's the same info on both sides, so the distinction isn't terribly meaningful (nt) Recursion Aug 2013 #23

But they're not getting it on the American end, right? leftstreet Aug 2013 #24

That is my understanding, yes Recursion Aug 2013 #25

You say they are not? From the OP: ljm2002 Aug 2013 #22

You're mixing up two questions Recursion Aug 2013 #26

What exactly does that mean anyway? Life Long Dem Aug 2013 #2

It sounds like another crack in the wall. morningfog Aug 2013 #3

What doesn't make sense about it? Recursion Aug 2013 #5

NSA doesn't start here in the states Life Long Dem Aug 2013 #11

Yes, I would have to be emailing a friend in another country Recursion Aug 2013 #18

Can they do it without a warrant? treestar Aug 2013 #12

I doubt the average American fits any of this criteria. millennialmax Aug 2013 #13

So privacy is only for "average" Americans now? Duer 157099 Aug 2013 #19

The NSA has always been tasked with international communications MineralMan Aug 2013 #15

But ... Koios Aug 2013 #30

Oops ... just learned ... Koios Aug 2013 #31

No human even sees your emails. MineralMan Aug 2013 #32

But my private communication is ... Koios Aug 2013 #33

OK. MineralMan Aug 2013 #34

K & R !!! WillyT Aug 2013 #21

So what happens when all net traffic is bounced off servers located outside the US? DJ13 Aug 2013 #28

More lies uncovered. morningfog Aug 2013 #29