"A number of [larger] companies are getting paid for the information. If you go establish a tap on Google’s network, they will charge X amount per month. Usually the government pays it."
This is directly contrary to what every "larger" company has repeatedly stated in response to Prism. People actually think that the companies are not only forced to keep silent, but release public statements lying?
Yes - we have seen language contorted into meaninglessness by by lawyers and courts. "Waterboarding is not torture." "Data recordings are not data collection." "Drones cause one civilian casualty per hundreds known dead terrorists."
I am a fervent believer in the power of government to do enormous good - but is necessary that those actions be public or they will invariably be abused. Whenever you contemplate government acting in secret, you must weigh that against the cost of that action being abused - because at some point it will be.
I'm angry and will let you imagine a link to foaas.com.
That every major telecom/ISP charges for wiretaps and other information pulls has long been public knowledge. Reimbursing them for government requests is a line-item in our public federal budget.
This is directly contrary to what every "larger" company has repeatedly stated in response to Prism. People actually think that the companies are not only forced to keep silent, but release public statements lying?