NSA spied on WikiLeaks website visitors

[TOMPPIX]

Two infamous serial leakers' paths have just crossed, as new documents from Edward Snowden reveal just how much energy the NSA devoted to spying on Julian Assange and Wikileaks. According to documents from The Intercept, the US and British governments targeted not only the organization itself, but also "the human network that supports WikiLeaks." In one instance, Britain's spying agencies tapped fiber-optic cables and logged IP addresses from every visitor to a certain WikiLeaks site. Another showed that the US government urged its allies to charge Assange criminally over Afghanistan leaks, and considered designating WikiLeaks a "malicious foreign actor" -- normally a term used for terrorist organizations. For his part, Assange called the NSA's actions "unlawful and reckless" and urged an investigation into the activities

 

SOURCE.

[MatheusSanzo]

Thanks NSA.

[Ertman]

Right or wrong, it is expected.

[Fetzie]

Anybody else think that sloth picture is adorable?

[LimpCurve]

Anybody else think that sloth picture is adorable?

Who doesn't? :3

[Rageodontist]

I don't blame the NSA at all. We live in a world where our enemies are hidden and all the NSA is trying to do is find them. Also who cares if they know what sites you go on as long as your not doing something illegal what do you have to fear?

 

Off topic as hell but just wanted to say that.

[Yoinkerman]

Because its illegal to do warrantless wiretapping of individuals? Or because said wiretapping gets abused by governments for political gain?

I don't blame the NSA at all. We live in a world where our enemies are hidden and all the NSA is trying to do is find them. Also who cares if they know what sites you go on as long as your not doing something illegal what do you have to fear?

Off topic as hell but just wanted to say that.

[Nineshadow]

America wanted to spy people quietly...

They got Snowden.

[s3ns3]

I don't blame the NSA at all. We live in a world where our enemies are hidden and all the NSA is trying to do is find them. Also who cares if they know what sites you go on as long as your not doing something illegal what do you have to fear?

 

Off topic as hell but just wanted to say that.

are you serious? let me spy on you i won`t do any harm. cmon

[Trip]

As a Brit I can safely say that we're part of the EU and the European Commission of Human Rights, which provides us with certain rights. Namely Article 8 - The right to privacy

 

 

Article 8 – Right to respect for private and family life

1. Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence.

2. There shall be no interference by a public authority with the exercise of this right except such as is in accordance with the law and is necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, public safety or the economic well-being of the country, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.

 

Last I checked being curious and going on a wikileaks website to figure out what all the fuss was about isn't terrorism, disappointed in both my own government and the American government for permitting action like this. 

On a side note Journalism isn't terrorism. 

[Switchblade Ninja]

Cant do anything but laught at these Americlaps defending NSA...

[Rageodontist]

Because its illegal to do warrantless wiretapping of individuals? Or because said wiretapping gets abused by governments for political gain?

 

That is true but for us to be safe there have to be exceptions made at some point. And if they feel that they had to do it than I'm ok with it. But I see what you mean.

[Rageodontist]

are you serious? let me spy on you i won`t do any harm. cmon

Well I dont have anything to hide if the government wants to see we watch youtube videos and go on this forum than I don't really care.

[Yoinkerman]

Which would make sense if it kept us any safer. There's been no evidence put forth to support that claim in the almost decade this has been happening, so how can we believe it?

That is true but for us to be safe there have to be exceptions made at some point. And if they feel that they had to do it than I'm ok with it. But I see what you mean.

[WanderingFool]

Well I dont have anything to hide if the government wants to see we watch youtube videos and go on this forum than I don't really care.

 

I would agree if this was an utopian world...but alas it is not, so I actually dislike the concept of monitoring.

 

The problem I have with things such as "[...] as long as your not doing something illegal what do you have to fear" is it takes a very focused approach to the situation.  Consider it is alright for the government to spy on all internet connections as long as it is for the greater good of the people.  Now if there is no oversight and public knowledge of what they are doing, what would happen if they extended such spying from say terrorism to people who compromise the "security" via releasing documents about government activities which have been covered up.  Since we are at it, lets start adding in people who do any illegal activity (which btw I can almost guarantee that you have done an illegal activity on the internet before...even bypassing an EULA or entering in falsified information when required can be considered against the law).  So any major illegal activity is now monitored on the net and crime is down....but you know the people in power don't like their opposition.  The solution go after their opposition via smaller illegal activities and force them out of politics.  Or other people who do not share the same ideals as the government will now be sent to prison.

 

Here is the problem I see

Certain countries have used minor infractions to lock up political opponents

Certain countries have gone after people who haven't shared the same view as the government

 

The problem is imagine traveling to another country and being arrested just because you visited a site that opposed that countries values.

 

So while in places like the USA it might not be a big deal, situations can quickly change.  Who knows what the political situation will be in 10-20 years time...things can change and by the way the NSA has been working without direct orders of the government who is to say they won't ever try manipulating the political place to fit what they want.

[warmmilk]

am I the only one not surprised about nsa/cia/fbi/whatever other government agency and contractor spying on everybody?  even before Snowden...  My reaction to when he blew the whistle was pretty much: meh, isn't this pretty much common knowledge?

[Rageodontist]

Which would make sense if it kept us any safer. There's been no evidence put forth to support that claim in the almost decade this has been happening, so how can we believe it?

 

Thats true. But really inn my mind the evidence of us not having evidence either means shit happens and they dont want mass panick so they cover it up or they just aren't doing anything. I like to believe that they cover it up to stop risk of panick but like you said there is no evidence so we don't really know.

[Rageodontist]

I would agree if this was an utopian world...but alas it is not, so I actually dislike the concept of monitoring.

 

The problem I have with things such as "[...] as long as your not doing something illegal what do you have to fear" is it takes a very focused approach to the situation.  Consider it is alright for the government to spy on all internet connections as long as it is for the greater good of the people.  Now if there is no oversight and public knowledge of what they are doing, what would happen if they extended such spying from say terrorism to people who compromise the "security" via releasing documents about government activities which have been covered up.  Since we are at it, lets start adding in people who do any illegal activity (which btw I can almost guarantee that you have done an illegal activity on the internet before...even bypassing an EULA or entering in falsified information when required can be considered against the law).  So any major illegal activity is now monitored on the net and crime is down....but you know the people in power don't like their opposition.  The solution go after their opposition via smaller illegal activities and force them out of politics.  Or other people who do not share the same ideals as the government will now be sent to prison.

 

Here is the problem I see

Certain countries have used minor infractions to lock up political opponents

Certain countries have gone after people who haven't shared the same view as the government

 

The problem is imagine traveling to another country and being arrested just because you visited a site that opposed that countries values.

 

So while in places like the USA it might not be a big deal, situations can quickly change.  Who knows what the political situation will be in 10-20 years time...things can change and by the way the NSA has been working without direct orders of the government who is to say they won't ever try manipulating the political place to fit what they want.

Wow. I have no counter to that.

[Yoinkerman]

Thats also the the thing. An appointed congressional committee specifically tasked with finding out how we are being kept safer came back with nothing. Or it was one instance where the intelligence stopped like a $200 bank transfer. Thats it.

Thats true. But really inn my mind the evidence of us not having evidence either means shit happens and they dont want mass panick so they cover it up or they just aren't doing anything. I like to believe that they cover it up to stop risk of panick but like you said there is no evidence so we don't really know.