The PRISM Nine (technically only seven since two have been bought out by others), the companies that have been confirmed to have allowed the NSA direct server access to Americans’ private data, seem content with overt lies as an official response, but just because the administration is set to protect them from legal fallout doesn’t mean they’re going to get off scot-free.
Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Apple, Yahoo, AOL and Paltalk have all been caught with their hands in a might shady cookie jar. All these companies had faced customer concerns about privacy, and at this point their credibility on the issue is thoroughly shot: there is no reason to trust any of them, especially since they refuse to come clean on what we already know they did.
The companies surely made some friends on Capital Hill, but all seven are overwhelmingly dependent on individual Americans as customers. Even if their collective hold on the Internet at the moment is pretty strong, their trust is a major casualty, and one that could have long-term ramifications as they compete for market share with untainted rivals.
Even the excuse that they were ‘forced’ to cooperate doesn’t fly, as Twitter, one of the companies conspicuously absent from PRISM, is said to have simply refused to comply, and that was that. The other companies not only agreed, but in some cases went to great expense to alter their systems to be more surveillance-friendly, and facilitate a surveillance culture unprecedented in scope in the history of mankind.
The standard boilerplate "we did not give the government direct access" is meaningless because all you have to do is pipe the data over to the NSA, essentially mirroring traffic, and you can cover your butts about "direct" access but the Feds get everything anyway. It's sly lawyerspeak that actually reveals just how they're a bunch of lying bastards.
No doubt many of these companies I'm sure where just happy to "comply" especially those with ties to israel, which also thinks it benefits from the spying on everyone.
The question is, where can the people turn? What companies offer some modicum of privacy or are willing to stand up to the government? Which internet/communication companies aren't deeply connected to Israel?
I've already begun the process of migrating away from them, and I'm using google calandar to booby trap my remaining gmail accounts with thousands of large emails every day, forever. Still not quite sure to do about my Verizon phone service, but it will go.
I think people should band together and get their own email servers going, it's not that hard. There's also plenty of services to be had on the internet. Just stay away from google and start over.
Check out the EFF website, they probably have some good tips.
These revelations will have a chilling effect on the American economy. Years ago, some of the Silicon Valley old guard warned the feds to keep their hands off the internet lest they kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. The goose is not dead yet, but it's in critical condition and ovulation has ceased.
AS noted above one of the reasons these companies cooperated is that they were already to a degree doing spying for Israel. Something no doubt was used as leverage (i.e. blackmail) to get them cooperating with US agencies.
One of the most loathed qualities in Islam is Spying, that religion is light years ahead of the present bunch of money worshipping creatures coupled with sheep in the west. They talk about credibility now? When did any major American corporation have credibility?
Putting the pieces together.
Take this "story" (it's been known for a few years that the NSA had a backdoor in Windows XP, just as it's known that facebook is connected somehow to the CIA, etc, etc, etc).
Add that to the way the same companies are pushing "the cloud" (taking your data away from you and storing it elsewhere, where access to it will be controlled and probably monetised).
Add those to the developments in facial recognition and the stated goal of 'keyboardless computers' (where you speak and the machine types).
Everything that is critical of the global Corporate-Military system or the doctrine of human responsibility for naturally occurring climate variance, will be declared "extremist" and blocked and/or removed.
All will be merged with "television", the screen in your home, which will watch you. Early models are already on the market. Once ubiquitous it is then but a step to mandatory.
Big Brother may be almost ready for his first outing.