The director of national intelligence on Saturday stepped up his public defense of a top-secret government data surveillance program as technology companies began privately explaining the mechanics of its use.The program, code-named PRISM, has enabled national security officials to collect e-mail, videos, documents and other material from at least nine U.S. companies over six years, including Google, Microsoft and Apple, according to documents obtained by The Washington Post.The disclosures about PRISM have renewed a national debate about the surveillance systems that sprang up after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, how broad those systems might be and the extent of their reach into American lives.In a statement issued Saturday, Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper Jr. described PRISM as “an internal government computer system used to facilitate the government’s statutorily authorized collection of foreign intelligence information from electronic communication service providers under court supervision.”“PRISM is not an undisclosed collection or data mining program,” the statement said.
does this mean that the congress headhunters will ease off the hunt or create something else around it? also was this another pounce and run by the right to seize the moment and throw a few rabbit punches at Pres.?
“Disclosing information about the specific methods the government uses to collect communications can obviously give our enemies a ‘playbook’ of how to avoid detection,” Clapper said. “Nonetheless, [the law governing PRISM] has proven vital to keeping the nation and our allies safe. It continues to be one of our most important tools for the protection of the nation’s security.”
this crossed my mind first, are they not giving up the playbook, or is the right wing congress forcing the issue to put it out there, i feel they are capable of any act that might hurt the Pres. but remember their actions against him by default are equal actions against "we the people".
