5 Fun Facts From the Latest NSA Leak

It's a good thing that these government encroachments into our privacy rights are finally seeing the light of day, and are seeing a healthy dose of open worldwide public scrutiny.

The danger, as I see it is that if the public outcry is not strong, and if the governments succeed in quieting this issue, then our world has lost its privacy rights forever. I don't see the governments turning back if these practices are made public, and if despite that, the public accepts it. That precident will be too strong to overturn later.

We have only one chance at this. History will judge us on how well we handled our opportunity to effect a change.

"A little revolution, now and then, is a healthy thing."

> The danger, as I see it is that if the public outcry is not strong, and if the governments succeed in quieting this issue, then our world has lost its privacy rights forever.

I'm very much afraid that battle is already lost. The NSA has been doing this for decades. Only now does the government feel safe about admitting it. That should tell you all you need to know about their plans.

And even if they lose, it will be another battle like gun control, and ever expanding copyright/patent law, always having to be re-fought. The forces driving government surveillance are too strong for them to give up. Our government, like all governments throughout history, is undergoing the slow downward slide into tyranny. It's a cycle that's been repeated too many times for me to think we're immune.

My votes in the next election will depend on the public pronouncements of my representatives concerning this matter, but words mean little in this case. Unless they're willing to defund the entire surveillance apparatus, things will continue. And only a handful in either party have ever shown themselves willing to cut a dime of federal spending.

Polls right now show the majority of Americans, by an almost 2-1 margin, support what the government is doing. Anything to prevent terrorism and keep people secure.... never mind that they don't understand the technical issues. Most people certainly don't seem to care about online privacy or security.

Unfortunate. But, not unexpected.

> Polls right now show the majority of Americans, by an almost 2-1 margin, support what the government is doing.

Well, I distrust media polls as a matter of course. They're designed to shape public opinion, not measure it. That said, I suspect the figures are at least 60-40.

> "A little revolution, now and then, is a healthy thing."

Not really, but it may be necessary to restore a limited government. Whether people think that's a price worth paying is something we'll have to wait to see.

>> Polls right now show the majority of Americans, by an almost 2-1 margin, support what the government is doing.

> Well, I distrust media polls as a matter of course. They're designed to shape public opinion, not measure it. That said, I suspect the figures are at least 60-40.

Unfortunately, the good "polls" (including, for example, one by the PEW Research Center) are showing much the same picture -- the American Public appears inclined to put their trust in the NSA despite Snowden's revelations.

Um... I trust Snowden even less than the NSA. I hope he's caught and brought to justice quickly.

Regarding "limited government", please, TOS violation. I'll just leave my response as I hope that never happens.

Quoting:I trust Snowden even less than the NSA. I hope he's caught and brought to justice quickly.

A whistleblower exposing lawbreakers at the highest levels in government? Define "justice".

All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men (and women) to do nothing.

There comes a time when doing nothing is not enough.