The Hope and Optimism of George Orwell's “Nineteen Eighty-Four”
Eric Renderking Fisk | May 28th, 2020
In part one of a conversation about the NSA Survalence programs, Jason Cousineau and Eric Renderking Fisk talk about The USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act of 2020 and warrantless seizures of your internet search history by the FBI, The NSA’s Hidden Spy Hubs in Eight U.S. Cities, and the NSA data center in Utah.
We also talk about the United States Federal Government buying riot gear, and Twitch's new safety council member Steph "FerociouslySteph" Loehr bringing a new sparkle and diversity to fascism imposed on her social media platform.
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H.R. 6172: USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act of 2020
Congress.gov: USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act of 2020 -
The Verge: "Congress reauthorizes USA Freedom Act without warrantless web surveillance ban, Senate passes surveillance bill without ban on web history snooping The original rules expired in March," By Adi Robertson | May 14, 2020
The Hill: "Our Privacy is on the Clock It's not too late for Congress to right the ship on warrantless surveillance — common-sense, privacy-protecting reforms can ensure our safety while also holding our government accountable." Billy Easley and Neema Singh Guliani, Opinion Contributor | May 7th, 2020
USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act of 2020 -
"Passed Senate with Changes (back to House) on May 14, 2020 This bill has been passed in the House and the Senate, but the Senate made changes and sent it back to the House on May 14, 2020."
Buisness Insider: These towering, windowless, bomb-proof buildings in major US cities are reportedly part of an under-the-radar partnership between AT&T and the NSA Sinéad Baker Jun 26, 2018, 12:10 PM
AT&T has been helping the NSA with its mass surveillance programme, according to documents and sources obtained by The Intercept. Eight AT&T buildings around the US, many fortified, are used as sites where the NSA can tap into phone, text, and browsing records from around the world, documents suggest. A nuclear bomb-proof building in New York and a mostly windowless building in Los Angeles are among these sites. AT&T did not address the claim, but said it fulfils its legal obligations. The NSA declined to comment.
The Intercept: "The NSA’s Hidden Spy Hubs in Eight U.S. Cities - These fortress-like AT&T buildings are central to a secret NSA program that has monitored billions of communications, documents and sources reveal." Ryan Gallagher, Henrik Moltke June 25 2018,
THE SECRETS ARE hidden behind fortified walls in cities across the United States, inside towering, windowless skyscrapers and fortress-like concrete structures that were built to withstand earthquakes and even nuclear attack. Thousands of people pass by the buildings each day and rarely give them a second glance, because their function is not publicly known. They are an integral part of one of the world’s largest telecommunications networks – and they are also linked to a controversial National Security Agency surveillance program.
Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. In each of these cities, The Intercept has identified an AT&T facility containing networking equipment that transports large quantities of internet traffic across the United States and the world. A body of evidence – including classified NSA documents, public records, and interviews with several former AT&T employees – indicates that the buildings are central to an NSA spying initiative that has for years monitored billions of emails, phone calls, and online chats passing across U.S. territory.
The NSA considers AT&T to be one of its most trusted partners and has lauded the company’s “extreme willingness to help.” It is a collaboration that dates back decades. Little known, however, is that its scope is not restricted to AT&T’s customers. According to the NSA’s documents, it values AT&T not only because it “has access to information that transits the nation,” but also because it maintains unique relationships with other phone and internet providers. The NSA exploits these relationships for surveillance purposes, commandeering AT&T’s massive infrastructure and using it as a platform to covertly tap into communications processed by other companies.
Wikipedia: Room 641A is a telecommunication interception facility operated by AT&T for the U.S. National Security Agency, as part of its warrantless surveillance program as authorized by the Patriot Act. The facility commenced operations in 2003 and its purpose was publicly revealed in 2006.
Federal Government Buys Riot Gear
The Intercept: "Federal Government Buys Riot Gear, Increases Security Funding, Citing Coronavirus Pandemic"
Western News: Feds Buying Up Riot Gear for Veterans Department That Used To Be Unarmed.
The Blaze: "Federal government stocking up on riot gear because of COVID-19, report says"
Steph “FerociouslySteph” Loehr
