How do you feel about foreign countries spying on you/your leaders?

[Raavi]

The US aren't really just the US, they're Five Eyes. That's the UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. All their SIGINT capability is basically combined operationally.

I more meant that Germany has to appear annoyed even though they clearly knew it was happening, because their citizens didn't.

 

Appear so annoyed that they together with Brazil are pushing for an addition to the international treaty on civil and political rights.

[Spaghetti Cat]

Well folks, get in line. Some of us have been worried for quite a while about this administration breaking the fourth amendment. However, last time I checked, the only foreigners that got constitutional protection were terrorism suspects.

 

Look, I'm all for SIGINT and gaining the upper hand against nations foe and friend alike. That's what helped the Brits and us win ww2 and keep the peace in the cold war. Yet it now seems like our governments position is dragnet everyone and everything and sort it out later. A position driven more by paranoia than intelligence gathering. I can't fault the worker bees though, that sort of direction comes from the top. Sorry to say, but things don't look like they will change for a few more years. This kind of thing doesn't make us anymore safe, and it has the side effect of harming our good reputation around the world. Also it harms our economic interests like the german internet cited above. Kinda silly really, but that's what it is.

[TheGodDamnMaster]

I've never had an issue with the phone tapping and "spying" issues we've had here in the states. Does it really matter? Do you really think the government gives a damn about the affair that a man is having with his secretary? Or your skeletons in your closet? No, they don't, they're just looking for illegal activity.

[Raavi]

I've never had an issue with the phone tapping and "spying" issues we've had here in the states. Does it really matter? Do you really think the government gives a damn about the affair that a man is having with his secretary? Or your skeletons in your closet? No, they don't, they're just looking for illegal activity.

 

They don't, not until you (are trying to) become a (political) public figure that is. That secretary you had an affair with 10 years ago or that picture you posted of your dong can then mean the difference between becoming a senator or a laughing stock.

[TheGodDamnMaster]

 

I've never had an issue with the phone tapping and "spying" issues we've had here in the states. Does it really matter? Do you really think the government gives a damn about the affair that a man is having with his secretary? Or your skeletons in your closet? No, they don't, they're just looking for illegal activity.

 

They don't, not until you (are trying to) become a (political) public figure that is. That secretary you had an affair with 10 years ago or that picture you posted of your dong can then mean the difference between becoming a senator or a laughing stock.

 

Good thing I'd hate to be a politician.

[MindCorrupt]

Lol, I enjoyed this quote: Asked Monday if the NSA intelligence gathering had been used not only to protect national security but American economic interests as well, White House spokesman Jay Carney said: We do not use our intelligence capabilities for that purpose. We use it for security purposes.

 

Kind if like a kid whose hand was caught in the cookie jar, who then claims he was looking for brussel sprouts.

 

from this article. Would be interesting if anything comes of this, but honestly sounds like they're trying to look like they're taking a hard line to appease their citizens.

[sivispacem]

I think the most important issue that's come of all of this is the apparent lack of political oversight for the NSAs foreign operations in particular. I think there needs to be some re-evaluation of the relationship between the NSA and lawmakers to introduce a proper level of accountability, as was done in the UK with GCHQ.