Is the FBI Reading Your E-mail?

[Sword_Of_Truth]

from the second stupidest message board on the internet after the Loose Change forums, comes this little nugget: (http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=102657180&sid=1)

Tomorrow is the deadline for ISPs to have their networks wired up with G-Man-mandated surveillance equipment which will make it easier for the FBI to snoop, spy and wiretap the intertubes, per the FCC's expanded 2002 interpretation of the 1994 Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act. (Clearly an older law, since it does not make for a catchy acronym.)

The CALEA was originally written to make digital phone lines easier to wiretap. In the case of cell phones, where the tech has "100% penetration, it's credited with boosting the number of court-approved wiretaps a carrier can handle simultaneously, and greatly shortening the time it takes to get a wiretap going, " according to Threat Level.

For the low, low price of $164, you can check out the official specs ISPs will use to route over pretty much any "information sent or received through a user's broadband connection, including on-line banking activity" should the FBI be granted a court order to see what's flowing through their (or your) intertubes.

So happy surfing tomorrow! And be sure to use emoticons! FBI agents are people too, and I bet a smiling face would really brighten their day.

Does anyone know if this story is legit, or is it just more paranoid hysteria from people who spend far too much time away from the real world when they aren't investigoogling?

[Architect]

I don't know, but I am given to udnerstand that GCHQ in the UK does scan a significant proportion of all communications.

[ref]

I don't know about that one, but the Swedish Military is close to getting an authorization to word-scan all cross-border communications from Sweden and to Sweden, including internet, e-mail, telecommunications etc.

That is why Finland's biggest e-mail server moved it's servers from Sweden to Finland.

[gumboot]

I don't know, but I am given to udnerstand that GCHQ in the UK does scan a significant proportion of all communications.



Officially ECHELON only monitors international communications.

-Gumboot

[Architect]

So if I were to go BOMB BOMB BOMB BOMB BOMB BOMB DIRTY MANCHESTER it wouldn't be the case that some poor devil in Cheltenham (or wherever GCHQ actually is) will be reading it later today? Or is it just the "official" line?

[Oliver]

Officially ECHELON only monitors international communications.

-Gumboot


I heard that every communication passing Echelon is digitally
scanned for "Buzzwords" - but I don't know if it's true, even
if I tend to believe this is the case in digital messages since
it's too easy to set up such routines and equipment.

[gumboot]

So if I were to go BOMB BOMB BOMB BOMB BOMB BOMB DIRTY MANCHESTER it wouldn't be the case that some poor devil in Cheltenham (or wherever GCHQ actually is) will be reading it later today? Or is it just the "official" line?


As far as I understand, that's the official line. Whether reality reflects the official line or not, I don't know. I suppose it depends whether you think western governments are generally good and law abiding, or corrupt and bad.

-Gumboot

[JAStewart]

Why does it matter if they're scanning emails? I have nothing to hide, and it if can stop a terrorist ring, or a paedofile ring or any of that nasty ***** then it is probably a good thing.

What do the deniers have to hide?

[jhunter1163]

Try this: send your favorite Twoofer a nasty e-mail. If the eeeevil gubmint is reading it, you should ALREADY be in trouble, right? So there'd be no need for him or her to report it, right? But I bet they do anyway....

[Oliver]

Why does it matter if they're scanning emails? I have nothing to hide, and it if can stop a terrorist ring, or a paedofile ring or any of that nasty ***** then it is probably a good thing.

What do the deniers have to hide?


I guess it's the pretty old fashioned idea that the government
shouldn't be allowed to open up your snail mail to see if you're
talking in a harmful way about them. So what's the difference
in an electronic message? :confused:

The conclusion skeptics and twoofers draw is, that the government
does NOT trust "you" - so why should you trust "your government"
in return. Viewing at it this way does not make the Twoofers look
paranoid.

[MG1962]

Will they check and correct my spelling for me?

[The_Fire]

I don't know if they are reading my emails. If they are, I hope they enjoy the rather risky risque stories I'm sending my better half when I'm away.......

[Oliver]

I don't know if they are reading my emails. If they are, I hope they enjoy the rather risky stories I'm sending my better half when I'm away.......


http://209.85.48.11/html/emoticons/blink.gif

[Earthborn]

If the FBI is monitoring all e-mail, I sure hope they've got a good spamfilter. And if they do, it becomes rather easy to avoid being monitored; sign all your e-mail with "penis enlargement".

[uk_dave]

I think it's fantastic that we have the technology to vacuum the entire electromagnetic spectrum and automatically intercept all these emails, telephone calls etc etc, except......

....except that at the end of the day it will be a human who has to wade through the piles of dross and make a judgement as to whether 'The_Fire's emails are risky or risque.

Personally I just hope that the 'truthers' believe this story for their own good. I think they ignore the obvious security flaws in their use of the internet, mobile phones, computers and snail mail at their own peril. They would be better off just staying at home, with all the doors locked, the curtains drawn and not speaking to anyone.

Oh and watching porn DVD's gives you wrist cancer.

In fact, watching any DVD's at all merely allows the all seeing eye of the NWO to utilise your tv/monitor as a camera so they can watch your every move.

Oh and the air is full of harmful chemtrails.
The water has harmful chemicals
Food is genetically modified and iradiated
All pharmacueticals are bad for you
Recreational drugs are produced by the CIA for MKULTRA programs
Sunlight will give you skin cancer (especially when reflected off the secret bases on the moon)
And there's an alligator living in your toilet.

That should just about do it.

[The_Fire]

http://209.85.48.11/html/emoticons/blink.gif

What?

[Liszt]

Try this: send your favorite Twoofer a nasty e-mail. If the eeeevil gubmint is reading it, you should ALREADY be in trouble, right? So there'd be no need for him or her to report it, right? But I bet they do anyway....

what does "gubmint" mean? It just doesn´t make any sense without the word "da" in front of it.

Is everyone here fluent in Idiot?

[ref]

If the FBI is monitoring all e-mail, I sure hope they've got a good spamfilter. And if they do, it becomes rather easy to avoid being monitored; sign all your e-mail with "penis enlargement".

Are you Finnish? Your signature multatuli is quite amusing in Finnish.

[The_Fire]

I think it's fantastic that we have the technology to vacuum the entire electromagnetic spectrum and automatically intercept all these emails, telephone calls etc etc, except......

....except that at the end of the day it will be a human who has to wade through the piles of dross and make a judgement as to whether 'The_Fire's emails are risky or risque.



And that's the crux of the problem: The fact that humans needs to wade through all this.
When the Danes discovered that there was something called Echelon, you should have heard the outrage.

What people tend to forget is the fact that even IF the computers only pass on emails or phone calls including words like "bomb", "terrorist" or "jihad", that would still mean hundreds or thousands of emails and phone conversations to be filtered by humans. IMO it's impossible and still get a reasonable response time.

Instead the most accurate way of using this, and cutting down on the manpower needed, would be to select a list of "persons of interest" and have the computers/personnel concentrate on THEIR communication. Which of cause leaves the question: "Who is a person of interest?"

I sincerely doubt though that a bunch of nutters like the 9/11 Toothmovement rank amongst "Persons of Interest".

[Architect]

I suspect that the selection criteria will be rather more sophisticated than simply looking for incidencences of (say) BOMB NUKE LONDON SECRET TOMORROW. One would anticipate an engine which looks at the incidence of associated words, cross-refers it back to previous e-mail from the same user, identifies any consistent patterns, and only then flags it up to a someone.

But I'm an architect. I really am only speculating!

[The_Fire]

I suspect that the selection criteria will be rather more sophisticated than simply looking for incidencences of (say) BOMB NUKE LONDON SECRET TOMORROW. One would anticipate an engine which looks at the incidence of associated words, cross-refers it back to previous e-mail from the same user, identifies any consistent patterns, and only then flags it up to a someone.

But I'm an architect. I really am only speculating!

As the part of me which is a web-programmer, I can see how that can work. At least partially. The part I'm having problems with is still the amount of information if we are talking about a group of people the size of eg. the complete number of residents in the US.

The pattern recognition of specific sentences could work, but in order to cross reference it back to previously sent and possibly deleted email, one would have to have one hell of a data storage warehouse. We are talking about more than terrabytes of old data here.
One would basically have to backup EVERYTHING ever sent or published on the internet to prevent deletion of possible relevant data. Not to mention the fact that you would need backup facilities for those data. And that's before adding possible recorded phone calls to the mix.
Again: To make it plausible (read: practical) one would need to narrow it down to persons of interest.

[Earthborn]

Are you Finnish?No.

Your signature multatuli is quite amusing in Finnish.Really? What does the penname of the great Dutch author (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multatuli) mean in Finnish? Nothing naughty I hope.

[Davidjayjordan]

Dear naive anti-truthers, the FBI loves you and wants the best for you. They are there to protect you and serve you, and would never spy on you, never invade your privacy, and never lie to you ..... unless you were a mere citizen.

[JimBenArm]

Dear naive anti-truthers, the FBI loves you and wants the best for you. They are there to protect you and serve you, and would never spy on you, never invade your privacy, and never lie to you ..... unless you were a mere citizen.
Dear delusional internet poster:
The FBI is not interested in you, unless they want to test headache remedies.

[Mobyseven]

Dear naive anti-truthers, the FBI loves you and wants the best for you. They are there to protect you and serve you, and would never spy on you, never invade your privacy, and never lie to you ..... unless you were a mere citizen.

I doubt the FBI actually gives a s*** about me one way or the other, seeing as how I'm an Australian.

[Architect]

Dear naive anti-truthers, the FBI loves you and wants the best for you. They are there to protect you and serve you, and would never spy on you, never invade your privacy, and never lie to you ..... unless you were a mere citizen.

You're right. Your only option is to get offline, off the grid, and head for the hills. Go! Now! RUN!

[The_Fire]

You're right. Your only option is to get offline, off the grid, and head for the hills. Go! Now! RUN!

I agree. The sooner, the better!

[ref]

No.

Really? What does the penname of the great Dutch author (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multatuli) mean in Finnish? Nothing naughty I hope.

It is kinda naughty actually :D

Multatuli directly translated to Finnish = I just had an orgasm / I just came. Although if you nitpick, it is written with a space, multa tuli :)

[The Doc]

The FBI doesn't have the time, nor the resources to scan everybody's emails.

They would simply use the powers to scan the emails of suspected terrorists if they were suspected of being involved in terrorism, and not your average citizen. It's illogical for them to do so, and they don't have the man power or system power to do so.

I couldn't care less if my emails were read by the FBI. I have nothing to hide, and I don't consider it giving up my civil liberties.

[Belz...]

Is the FBI Reading Your E-mail?

Let 'em.

[Architect]

Let 'em.

Wan o' the 'hings whit ah wid want tae keen aboot unner sich circumstances wid be how they wid be able tae understan' screivins o ither leids, especially them whit arnae sae common - like this yin!

Agus ghaidhlig. Cymreg. Etc etc.

[gumboot]

One of the advantages of being an ECHELON member state is that it's my own government scanning anything I'm sending (even assuming they're scanning everything).

Our Government announced ECHELON existed, and what it did, two decades ago, so there's nothing overly secret about it.

I agree with others however. The system may have the capability to scan every communication (maybe). I seriously doubt it is capable of processing even a fraction of communications.

I would be pretty confident their efforts would be focused on known "persons of interest". Otherwise discussions like this one on the internet would waste valuable resources.

-Gumboot

[Aoidoi]

For what it's worth, most emails are sent in easily readable format across multiple networks to get to their destination. Any number of people can potentially read them; it's an inherently unsecure communication medium. If you are concerned with privacy there are a number of encryption methods that would make it more difficult for someone to read your email.

Course, I almost never send anything in an email that I would worry about being read by a third party, so I don't bother. But if you're discussing your plans for world domination, PGP might be right for you. If you think filtering terabytes of data on a daily basis is daunting, imagine trying to decrypt chunks of it, most of which will be either computer geeks or paranoics without any more interesting content than the rest. :)

[JimBenArm]

Could this be why the FBI agents following me have such noticable "bulges"? Reading all the special discount pharmacy and male-enhancement stuff I get?

[gumboot]

Of course it's not the FBI that does it anyway... ECHELON for the USA is run by the NSA.

-Gumboot

[stateofgrace]

Dear naive anti-truthers, the FBI loves you and wants the best for you. They are there to protect you and serve you, and would never spy on you, never invade your privacy, and never lie to you ..... unless you were a mere citizen.

Wow I feel loved. You mean, you mean they care all about little old me? There I was thinking that nobody cared for me only to find out that lots and lots of people care.

Dear Mr. FBI email reader, thank you for caring, it means so much to me.

Yours state.

[defaultdotxbe]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/defaultdotxbe/20f6e1c.jpg

sersiouly though ive always figured echelon scans a percentage of all communications and never really worried about it, if i want security ill send a regular letter or just go talk to someone in person, or as aoidoi suggested PGP is a great email encryption program (need to use outlook though i think)

[uk_dave]

I thought the whole controversy about Echelon was that it circumvented the US prohibition on spying on it's own citizens by getting a partner nation to do it for them.

[tacodaemon]

edit - duplicate post

[CptColumbo]

Will they check and correct my spelling for me?

Yes. Unfortunately, in a typical move by the Bush Admin, they've appointed former VP Dan Quayle to be in charge of this part of the operation.

[tacodaemon]

Cheltenham (or wherever GCHQ actually is)



For what it's worth, it seems pretty well accepted among spook-site geeks that RAF Menwith Hill in Yorkshire is the main UK sigint (including ECHELON) node.

[gumboot]

I thought the whole controversy about Echelon was that it circumvented the US prohibition on spying on it's own citizens by getting a partner nation to do it for them.


That's what CTers would claim.

Officially ECHELON does not spy on domestic communications, and member states do not spy on other member states.

The purpose is to divide up the entire globe so all communications from dodgy persons can be monitored.

-Gumboot

[Beleth]

The purpose is to divide up the entire globe so all communications from dodgy persons can be monitored.

+#@+'z y @11 /\/\y 0\/3rC3@'z 3/\/\@!1 100k'z 1!k3 +#!z.

[Metullus]

+#@+'z y @11 /\/\y 0\/3rC3@'z 3/\/\@!1 8!+/|\@4= 100k'z 1!k3 +#!z.

There, I corrected that for you.

[negativ]

as aoidoi suggested PGP is a great email encryption program (need to use outlook though i think)

If you use the command-line tool, you can encrypt plain text and paste the result into the email client of your choice.

If I recall correctly, that is. I haven't used PGP in ages. These days, I use Crypto-Joo 3.3 NWO Enterprise Edition for all my data obfuscation needs.

[Oliver]

What?


Misunderstanding from my side... Never mind. :blush:

[gumboot]

If you use the command-line tool, you can encrypt plain text and paste the result into the email client of your choice.

If I recall correctly, that is. I haven't used PGP in ages. These days, I use Crypto-Joo 3.3 NWO Enterprise Edition for all my data obfuscation needs.


The safest way to send sensitive data is to write the message via laser on the stomach lining of a small child. No one would ever suspect.

-Gumboot

[CptColumbo]

The safest way to send sensitive data is to write the message via laser on the stomach lining of a small child. No one would ever suspect.

-Gumboot

Or, heaven forbid, use the Postal Service, and if your too paranoid for that a private courier.

[Furcifer]

To the FBI reading my mail: I prefer Tag Heuer to Rolex, I'm quite happy with the size of my junk, I do OK meeting singles in my area while supporting local business at the bar and I'm Canadian, I get cheap meds already. So if you could make yourself useful and just delete those messages when you read them it would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Yours Sincerely,
99.9% of the general public

[Architect]

To the FBI reading my mail: I prefer Tag Heuer to Rolex, I'm quite happy with the size of my junk, I do OK meeting singles in my area while supporting local business at the bar and I'm Canadian, I get cheap meds already. So if you could make yourself useful and just delete those messages when you read them it would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Yours Sincerely,
99.9% of the general public

:D

[The_Fire]

This is something I came up with when I heard about the Patriot Act the first time. Imagine it attached as signature to your email:

Disclaimer: I'm not sure if the legalities are actually correct....


Disclaimer in connection with the US Patriot Act:

Dear Mr. FBI or CIA.

I am a Danish citizen who have no more against your government that the person sitting next to you. Yes, that cubicle to the left.

You are, however, in violation of Danish protection of privacy laws right now and I expect that you cease reading my private/corporate correspondence RIGHT NOW and pass on the message to the rest of your colleagues. If not, then you, your colleagues and your agency and your government, are making yourself liable to criminal prosecution. That means jail time. HEAVY jail time.

Not to mention the millions I would receive from your employer in restitution.
I will also advice you that IF you decide to read my correspondence in the future as well, you will most likely also be brought up on stalking charges as such behavior constitutes stalking. Add that jail time/restitution to the above.

If you are under the misinformation that this email would guide you to some of the more nc-17 rated sites on the web, please consult google.com. The words "Porn" and "Sex" tends to bring a rather entertaining amount of results.
Best Regards etc.


Well, I thought it was a blast when I wrote it anyhow....

[Hokulele]

Considering that half of my clients apparently do not read the e-mails I send them, I can't see why the FBI (or NSA) would bother.

[gumboot]

If knowing that my older sister is going to Milan for a holiday, my computer fried itself the other day, the weather is getting colder in Wellington, and my brother still doesn't have a job, helps the global War of Terror, well I say You're welcome.

-Gumboot

[ShowMe]

Does anyone know if this story is legit, or is it just more paranoid hysteria from people who spend far too much time away from the real world when they aren't investigoogling?

The basis of the story is correct. Essentially ISP's need to change some things to make 'wiretapping' easier for the FBI.

Source: http://www.fcc.gov/calea/

The FBI is still required to get a court order for such things.

The major argument against it seems to be that making wiretapping easier makes the law enforcement folks skip police work in favor of spying. The opponents point out that the telephone CALEA compliance deadline was in 2002, and "since then the amount of court-ordered surveillance has nearly doubled from 2,586 applications granted that year, to 4,015 orders in 2006."

How many cell phones are in the US now as opposed to 2002? And only 4,015 surveillances in 2006? That seems to be a remarkably low percentage.

[Mobyseven]

I thought the whole controversy about Echelon was that it circumvented the US prohibition on spying on it's own citizens by getting a partner nation to do it for them.

There is a prohibition on the US obtaining information through ECHELON through other states that they would not be allowed to obtain themselves.

How strictly that is enforced is another matter entirely, I suppose... ;)

ETA - I see that Gumboot has posted above that member states may not spy on other member states. Guess that covers that then...

[gtc]

If knowing that my older sister is going to Milan for a holiday, my computer fried itself the other day, the weather is getting colder in Wellington, and my brother still doesn't have a job, helps the global War of Terror, well I say You're welcome.

-Gumboot

I have decoded that for you:

"Sister" is meeting MI6 because the Soviets have broken the NZ government's encryption and "Brother" is awaiting further instructions.

MIlan = MI6
Colder = Soviets
Wellington = NZ government.

[hellaeon]

When you ask someone why they find this such an intrusion on their personal lives they scramble for reasons. Ask them why they think the FBI would study them and their secret love life rather then go for leads on terrorist activities?

I know ways the ultra paranoid can get around such intrusive behaviour on their tinhat lives....

[beachnut]

Dear naive anti-truthers, the FBI loves you and wants the best for you. They are there to protect you and serve you, and would never spy on you, never invade your privacy, and never lie to you ..... unless you were a mere citizen.
Better get running. They are coming. I think they were listening to me type last night. But most of us have get of the the Fema Death Camp Free Cards, so they may come collect us but we are allowed to pass go and Collect our 200 bucks, just for being perfect skeptics.

naive anti-truthersdo you realize how ironic that is?

[gumboot]

I have decoded that for you:

"Sister" is meeting MI6 because the Soviets have broken the NZ government's encryption and "Brother" is awaiting further instructions.

MIlan = MI6
Colder = Soviets
Wellington = NZ government.



Dagnammit... I guess it's back to using the stomachs of small children.

-Gumboot