NSA Was Targeting France, Among Others

[Indy]

Yeah but I will point out Prof that even if you take the time to send and encrypted email, the NSA has backdoored all that too.

So unless you're saying that in 2013 nobody can have any expectation of privacy when using electronic communications, here we are.

[Professor]

If you can ensure that your communication is sent only via methods where you own or have contract with all the companies that touch your information, then you have an expectation of privacy. For instance, we are looking at contracting with a company that owns a vast network of fiber optic lines. Then can ensure that an e-mail sent from my work computer here in NO to a counterpart in NY will never touch a server, communications line, or any other hardware owned by another company. In this instance, I expect privacy. It's essentially a closed-circuit system.

But, if I send an encrypted message via public means, then the only way that I feel that I can have privacy is if my encryption is better than anyone else's decryption. And, since I don't have that faith, then I expect that it might not be private.

Of course, there's the game of odds. What are the odds that my single message, out of the trillions that are sent, will be intercepted and read? Not big. But, it's still there as a chance.

Also, note that I'm not saying that it's right for the NSA (or anyone else) to intercept message domestically. I'm just saying that I don't expect it.

[eynon81]

[Indy]

Well seeing that we entirely dependent on electronic communications in a modern society I think we better be a bit vigilant about what we allow to be searched without warrant.

Yeah, if you use the company email they can read it. But calling your wife on her cell? That's fair game? Or emailing her on your Yahoo! account?

[The Comrade]

[Professor]

[eynon81]

[The dane]

[eynon81]

[Indy]