The Legality of the NSA Essay

Many companies have gathered personal information online to target ads with the user’s preferences, but tracking can allow companies to find out your credit card number, where you live and your interests. Hence, the NSA should be incriminated for utilizing personal information that can endanger a person’s security by using information from social networks, experimenting and distributing information.

Toobin, Jeffery. "Edward Snowden, the N.S.A. Leaker, Is No Hero." The New Yorker. The New

Citizens do not always fully understand legislation before becoming angry at someone. Who better to point a finger at than their government (Zuckerman para 7)? Despite the actual legal terms on surveillance, innocent citizens feel that they have had their rights violated and wonder why the government needs their information if they have nothing to hide. The supreme court declared in the third party doctrine that “anyone turning over information to a third party, such as a bank or Internet service provider, has no right to object if that information is later shared with the government” (Timberg para 11). Whether they understand the law or not, most people feel that their information should not be unnecessarily subjected to the government without their voiced approval (Zuckerman para 6). “Quite simply, the administration could have done a much better job of explaining both the potential and the limits of data mining. It should have made it clear

Body 4 Con: Numbers suggest effectiveness, one prevented attack could save billions especially with groups like ISIS only continually growing

Edward Snowden is America’s most recent controversial figure. People can’t decide if he is their hero or traitor. Nevertheless, his leaks on the U.S. government surveillance program, PRISM, demand an explanation. Many American citizens have been enraged by the thought of the government tracing their telecommunication systems. According to factbrowser.com 54% of internet users would rather have more online privacy, even at the risk of security (Facts Tagged with Privacy). They say it is an infringement on their privacy rights of the constitution. However, some of them don’t mind; they believe it will help thwart the acts of terrorists. Both sides make a good point, but the inevitable future is one where the government is adapting as

Greenwald explains that “Just seven weeks after I began blogging, the New York Times dropped a bombshell: in 2001, it reported, the Bush administration had secretly ordered the National Security Agency (NSA) to eavesdrop on the electronic communications of Americans without obtaining the warrants required by relevant criminal law” (Greenwald 2015: p. 5). They were able to do this with the help of the program Prism. Prism allows the NSA to directly use the servers of giant internet firms like Facebook, Google, and Apple to gain knowledge of people’s information. This information ranges from people’s e-mails to online social networking

Privacy is what allows people to feel secure in their surroundings. With privacy, one is allowed to withhold or distribute the information they want by choice, but the ability to have that choice is being violated in today’s society. Benjamin Franklin once said, “He who sacrifices freedom or liberty will eventually have neither.” And that’s the unfortunate truth that is and has occurred in recent years. Privacy, especially in such a fast paced moving world, is extremely vital yet is extremely violated, as recently discovered the NSA has been spying on U.S. citizens for quite a while now; based on the Fourth Amendment, the risk of leaked and distorted individual information, as well as vulnerability to lack of anonymity.

The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution states, “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated…” This statement has long been a fundamental piece of the law that makes up the foundation of the United States of America. In recent years, however, many citizens have come to believe that their Fourth Amendment Right of protection from unlawful search and seizure is being infringed upon by government organizations such as the National Security Agency. The question that many have asked about what is now known as mass surveillance is, are citizens rights being infringed upon?

Ever since the American public was made aware of the United States government’s surveillance policies, it has been a hotly debated issue across the nation. In 2013, it was revealed that the NSA had, for some time, been collecting data on American citizens, in terms of everything from their Internet history to their phone records. When the story broke, it was a huge talking point, not only across the country, but also throughout the world. The man who introduced Americans to this idea was Edward Snowden.

These words alone spark concern amongst citizens due to the methods and the limited understanding of what information is analyzed and stored. When Eric Snowden released the details of the domestic and foreign intelligence gathering programs of the National Security Agency (NSA), World leaders and citizens alike were surprised and outraged at the range and scope of the data that was collected (BBC News 2014). Although his actions were illegal in nature, they exposed the extent to which intelligence collection had grown beyond the initial scope and intent of the laws that were passed following

The United States government frequently, and without any court warrants, collects phone logs of millions of people. The government also has a complicated system that keeps an in depth log of information on citizens. Privacy is a very valued part of most citizens' life. The government spying on a person is some people's(namely the older generation's) absolute worst fear. With social media on the rise, many people forty and older are horrified at the idea that their children and grandchildren are putting their whole lives out on the internet for the world to see. Many have applauded Snowden for exposing the atrocities and invasion of privacy that the government has been doing. He is now a fugitive who must hide far away from his country in Hong Kong. Edward Snowden observed that the American people were being violated and even though it would forever change his life by making him a fugitive, he made sure that everyone knew about it. Most people are understanding that national security must be increased due to the alarming increase of terrorism around the world, but now innocent Americans are taking steps to make sure that their personal information can be protected from the prying eyes of Big

In 2013 a contractor for the National Security Agency (NSA) by the name of Edward Snowden stole copies of hundreds of classified documents detailing the extent of the NSA’s digital mass surveillance program. After stealing the documents, he traveled to Hong Kong to meet with several journalists. While in Hong Kong they went over the documents, and the news was published several days later. As the documents revealed, the NSA obtained access to the records and data of many large internet companies, including, but not limited to, Microsoft, Google, and Apple. This enabled the NSA to essentially view all electronic data, private or public, on any American citizen or foreign citizen, whether or not they had a search warrant as per the Fourth Amendment. While Edward Snowden should be punished for illegally leaking classified information which revealed the extent of government surveillance of the common American; the government was still wrong in violating the American people’s constitutional right to privacy and there could be severe consequences for their actions.

In May of 2013 Edward Snowden leaked NSA documents revealing that the organization had been, warrantlessly spying on U.S. citizens, via the internet. (Britannica) The information leaked showed that the NSA had been tapping phones and monitoring citizen’s text messages, emails and social media. (NPR) Snowden has said that he brought these documents to light, not to discredit the government’s method, but to expose it’s methods. Snowden wanted to allow the people of the United States to decide for themselves. (Britannica)

After 9/11, the country was thrown into disarray and our government started to take strides trying to ensure our protection. We all knew about the new TSA and other travel restrictions, but the National Security Agency (NSA) was not nearly as transparent. The famous whistleblower, Edward Snowden, who used to work for the NSA revealed the programs bulk data collection programs. Passionate debates sparked afterwards revolving around things such as privacy and the Fourth Amendment. Those in our country felt as they had their rights violated due to the domestic data collection. This is important because these provisions were meant to protect us, and they’ve barely done that while taking draining funds and our feelings of safety.

Place yourself in the safety and comfort of your home, under the belief that “everyone has the right to the use and enjoyment of his property” (Department of International Law), searching, emailing, and talking about things that may be frowned upon by others. Now imagine the raw feelings of fear and deception that would wash over you upon seeing Edward Snowden’s statement on how “the U.S. government is destroying privacy, internet freedom and basic liberties for people around the world with this massive surveillance machine they 're secretly building.” You may initially feel betrayed, but Obama formally announced that the NSA acts solely in the name of safety right? Have we begun to sacrifice the freedom and