So, here is how this really works.
America is snooping on friends. Oh dear.
Well, not really oh dear.
Because : America snoops on a friendly country. Because this country can't snoop on their own people. Well, they can and do, but not as excessively as they want. But, another country CAN. And then this "other country" gives the info they got back to the country they snooped on...a nice little give and take...between friendly countries. Nothing out of the ordinary.
As per Mr. Snowden.
So, what does Mr. Snowden's snooping do ? Well, nothing, really.
Here are two persons who were arrested for voicing their opinions on FB.
http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/1766830/report-anti-thackeray-fb-post-two-girls-arrested-for-bandh-comments-get-bail
Guess, the maturity of the democracies also plays a role and in case of US I guess it is much more mature than another democratic country India where the elected members believe that the country belongs to them and the people should all the time be prostrating in front of them and keep their mouths shut irrespective of what they do. Basically once you cast your vote in India seems you have agreed to be their slave and not for anything else, with no voice, obviously. Few other similar cases.
Of course people knew it happens, but it takes someone to confirm it. And it took Snowden to do that and to pull down some from the moral high horse of laws and freedom that they bragging about.
There you go..it's all a big bag of hot air....poooof. :P
I said it once and like most of you are saying.... Get over it... it happens.... Anyone that was shocked by the revelations of US' Big Brother are naïve and living in a bubble.
Get over it. Seriously. Who has opinions? Who voices them? How many people do you know that have been arrested for voicing their opinions - I'd probably wager a guess - NONE... and I am not talking about spies, who know country secrets... I am talking about regular people like you and me who have their own opinions about how things should work.
Just a warning though.... Don't take the mark of the beast!
brit, freedom isn't equal wildness. freedom also has its limits and regulations... 'free and democratic society' doesn't exclude control. they have to distinguish those who are "in limit" from those who go beyond... so many potential threads around...
The question is where this limit is, and what to consider "going beyond".. This can be manipulated by the governments as per their vision.. and very little can be done about it..
Well there ya go Brit. Life would be boring if everyone agreed with me ;)
Got to disagree with you. Many of us suspected it, but most did not believe that their own government was capable of such things. It is good that the elephant is now out in the open..
Spying on other countries is perfectly fine.. it is not something new..we had this even long before computers were in mind.. But spying on your own citizens without a legal warrant using their social entertainment (Facebook, twitter, etc) is really a news and it is of course a violation of their own constitution.. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/06/depth-review-new-nsa-documents-expose-how-americans-can-be-spied-without-warrant
The thing is former head of Homeland Security Richard Clarke and others have been saying for years that there is a cyber war going on. Hell, Dick Clarke released a book about it 2 years ago. But it's somehow news when Snowden says it?
Now Julian Assange... I have a different perspective on him, one moment I think what he did was fully justified, the next I'm not so sure. But I do know he has been stitched up, and dirty tricks are being used for the US to get their hands on him. I will be happy to see him get to a nice warm country to live happily ever after.
Snowden deserves to get what is coming to him.
Snowden: "The USA is spying on you"
The World: "No Really?! We would have never guessed!"
I hate even seeing pictures of Snowden on TV now, he makes me feel sick. What a horrible attention seeking, back stabbing, unpatriotic piece of (yeah you know what goes here). This man is no hero. Everyone knows what the US is capable of. We didn't need this d1ck to tell us. I hope karma takes care of him. All he has done is brought the attention of the media to the Elephant in the corner.
http://www.ellsberg.net/
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2013/06/15/commentary/is-u-s-still-the-land-of-the-free/#.UdpTDzs6K1k
Daniel Ellsberg
In a truly Orwellian touch, we are only having the debate Obama says he wants because Snowden broke his promises and the law.
Obama is right that there’s a trade-off, and most Americans seem to be happy, as I am, to accept some modest invasion of their privacy in return for more effective protection against terrorism.
Data-mining will bring large numbers of innocent people under suspicion. This is a problem, because protecting the innocent suspect is not something at which the U.S. excels.
Big Brother is watching all of us!,
He’s got spies and binoculars everywhere!
Cameras at banks, airports, checkpoints finger prints D.N.A prints! Facial recognition technology to match pictures to existing ones.
If you tag a picture of yourself on Facebook or post/search something on Google, or even post a thread on QL that image/thread/website address can be used to identify your person and track your whereabouts!
"We are living in an environment where we're constantly being monitored, and freedom is just a figment of our imgiantion.”
It should be a no no Brit, but practically it can't. Especially in the USA where you have so many fringe groups and so many automatic weapons.
The fact is that there is no truly free and democratic society. It cannot happen. There have to be controls and checks to protect the society as a whole. However, our leaders have used this and the need for "security" to infringe further on civil liberties and personal freedoms.
But clearly it just doesn't happen that way. Which makes one question then the very concept, existence and factuality of a free and democratic society.
http://thecommonsenseshow.com/2013/06/24/should-we-stay-or-should-we-go/nsa-tyranny-keep-telling-yourself-you-are-free/
Spying on one another is the norm. However, covert spying against its own citizens in a free and democratic society should be a no no!
Most countries' governments do regard each other as potential threats and invaders, one way or another, and will do all they can, openly and in secret, to safeguard their interests.
curious is natural ...
Brit, they all complain about each other. Decorum has to be maintained :P
Oh, and they usually complain about the one who happens to be better than the other...lol
You are of course correct. The fact is that the USA is way ahead in technology , expertise and leverage. They complained about China hacking their computers , yet now we find that they have been doing the same and probably a lot more.
The good thing is that the truth is out and we can all rest easy now..
There are only one Big Brother but there are many Followers,And the followers are 2 types, The First is a friend and the second is pretending to be a friend (Cause he is forced).
Snooping is all around.
Sulie, nothing happened to me, no worries! Just thought after all thei outrage about the Us I let you all know that it is not only one "Big brother " out there...there are ever so many....
Not that I care, mind you.
Dj Shade, and that is exactly what other countries are doing too.
What are you trying to say ?!
America snoops on friendly country who?
Its not just snooping is it. It is a proper violation of a lot rights and laws. Securing info from phone companies, internet, social media..
Bloody hell maybe your microwave is watching you.
They can pretty lock, stock and two smoking barrel anybody's arse .. if they so as slightly make a joke over the phone.
As Barry OBAMA.. rightly said when he took the office..
"YES WE SCAN".
Snowden did say this will change nuff all but hope some people will wake the fizzle up.
Damn.
what happens to you lovely NM :O)
Snowden is now packing his bags but still confused between Venezuela and Nicaragua