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The NSA before 9/11
In 1947 after world war II, the National Security Act passed and created the Central Intelligence Agency and the NSA to accommodate the new foreign threats to american security. China became another target of NSA activity in 1964, when the NSA heard of communications regarding the detonation of China's first nuclear weapon. -
USA Patriot Act
Signed into law by George W. Bush the act was instated as a response to 9/11. The most important sections of the act are 215, 206, 6001. Section 215 allows the government access to and "tangible thing" without warrant which includes books, documents, papers, etc. Section 206 permits wiretapping on a specific person or facility without warrant, statement of purpose, or identity of the suspected terrorist. -
The NSA begins violating telephone-record surveillance
by collecting metadata on millions of calls from a list of nearly 4,000 phone numbers (some numbers based in the US.) This abuse will continue until January 24, 2009, by which time the list has grown to about 16,000. The abuse will not be publicly exposed until September 10, 2013 by Edward Snowden. -
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act
The Act changed the privileges and gave more power to government officials dealing with foreign intelligence and allowed the FISA court to provide warrants for wiretapping. -
Edward Snowden
Edward Snowden is a 31 year old US citizen, former Intelligence Community officer and whistleblower. Snowden worked in various roles within the US Intelligence Community, including serving undercover for the CIA overseas. He most recently worked as an infrastructure analyst at the NSA. After travelling to Hong Kong, Snowden revealed documents to the public on the NSA’s mass surveillance programs. He was later charged with theft of government property and two other charges.
