I want to ask people here who have again and again downplayed the revelations about NSA syping and spying abilities (here are the latest) we've learned about via the leaks by Edward Snowden: what would finally be too much for you?
If we found out tomorrow that, say, the NSA has secretly worked with car companies to fit microphones and cameras in cars for the last ten years, or have simply secretly had it done behind the car companies' backs, and they can turn those snooping devices on whenever they like and listen to and watch us in our cars—would that be too much? Would you defend it, using arguments like the ones most commonly used to defend what we've learned so far?
• Of course the NSA does this—they're a spy agency. Duh!
• Of course the NSA can do this. Terrorism is a very real threat.
• Just because the NSA can do this doesn't mean they do it in a bad way.
• Revealing that the NSA can listen to us and watch us in our cars is helping the terrorists. Now they won't say anything in their cars.
• Everybody already knew this.
I really want to know what the pro-NSA, or anti-Snowden, whatever you want to call yourselves, people here think would finally be too much. Because it seems like nothing would be too much. We're talking about your personal communications with your family, friends, lovers, other lovers, banks, doctors, therapists, bosses, employees, pot dealers—and you don't seem to care that an enormous government spy agency, operating in almost complete secrecy, even from Congress—can, and does, at least sometimes, listen to or read those communications, live or after the fact.
I find that shocking.
So please, if you would, tell me what would finally be too much. And why it would be too much.
Update: We have a "Yes" on the car question:
I asked directly in the comments:
So you'd be okay with them taping you and (0+ / 0-)
all Americans in their cars, and just holding on to the data, until they might need it?
Answer:
For a limited amount of time, yes. (0+ / 0-)
if the data is anonymous and can't be used unless there is just cause, I don't care. I know a lot of people think of it differently, but if oversight is adequate I accept that invasion of privacy.
I simply find this shocking.
In your car.