115 pointsby nobody99997 hours ago5 comments
  • 2OEH8eoCRo0an hour ago
    I like 702 in theory but I'm not sure I like the FBI having access since they are for domestic policing.

    What changes should be made? The probable cause requirement for FBI sounds like a reasonable compromise.

  • sneak5 hours ago
    Reminder: this is their #1 most used tool for collecting data. Snowden told us of the existence of this program under the codename PRISM.

    This allows them to download the entire contents of your gmail instantly, directly from Google, without a warrant. Or your iCloud Photos and Backups (complete iMessage history) directly from Apple. No warrant required.

    • IshKebab4 hours ago
      > This allows them to download the entire contents of your gmail

      Does it though? I believe they did that with PRISM by eavesdropping on the unencrypted data transfers within Google's network itself - without their knowledge. Since that revelation came to light I presume Google have upgraded their security.

      • lyu07282an hour ago
        No PRISM was the legal sharing of data, that's what op described just downloading all your data from the cloud companies. The thing you are thinking of is codenamed MUSCULAR that is evesdropping on unencrypted communication between yahoo and google data centers outside of the US jurisdiction where PRISM didn't apply (at the time).
    • gib4444 hours ago
      Wait, doesn't the constitution protect people from this?
      • Noaidi3 hours ago
        No.

        First, FISA was created in 1978 to protect Americans from the CIA by forcing them to show probably casuse. Section 702 of FISA is about intercepting any foreigners communications for which they need no warrent.

        But the CIA incidentally collects data of U.S citizens during these warrentless wire taps, and that would be the 4th amendment challenge, but so far that is going nowhere.

        • rsingel2 hours ago
          Close but a lot of this, as Sen Wyden points out, turns on how NSA and DoJ lawyers define terms. So you get situations where bulk collection of communications of Americans to Americans into a data center isn't considered interception until a human looks at it. There's so much we don't know because the policies/legal interpretation and the FISA court rulings on them are secret. Sen Wyden tries to warn but he can only hint at the real dangers and policies
      • LadyCailin4 hours ago
        The constitution lost its power long ago, and is now a mere fig leaf of legitimacy. Plenty of things ought to be unconstitutional based on a plain reading of the constitution. Civil forfeiture, unlimited gun rights, qualified immunity, FISA courts, various “emergency” powers, deportation of US citizens, etc, etc. The trouble is that a huge portion of Americans don’t really care about any of this, so long as these violations are used to stick it to liberals, all is forgiven.
        • roysting2 hours ago
          I find such framing challenging because you are correct, the Constitution lost its power a long time ago, but I would not limit the cause of that lost power to only a rather recent ideological adversary, those you imagine would say “stick it to liberals”.

          Unfortunately for everyone but the parasitic ruling class that is plundering America and the world, the changes and damage done to the Constitution in the name of progress have not only been the primary vehicle of that damage from the start, but they have had compounding and exponentially negative effects that are clearly accelerating the impact.

          The problem with “progress”, i.e., changes framed as positive, is that it is easy to hijack the innate nature of young people to want to differentiate themselves from their parents as a natural and instinctual process of development/maturity. It allows for malevolent, usually older people, to whisper in the ears of young people things like “don’t you think what your parents do is silly and should be undone?”, not knowing or realizing what their parents do not only protects and preserves, but is also the foundation that allowed everything we have to have been created. It is generally a form of grooming young people to tear down the protective walls holding the Epstein/Biden/Trump Class style super-predators at bay.

          I personally am concerned that we are effectively already locked in the dungeon, but we just don’t know it because it has WiFi and is nicely decorated…for the time being.

          • lyu07282an hour ago
            Americans deep political confusion is really something to behold. How do you both hold the contradictions in your head? Every presidency no matter it's so called political ideology, liberal or conservative, have the same exact policies on mass surveillance? The Patriot act and fisa amendment was bipartisan, Obama voted for the Fisa amendment, Biden voted for the Patriot act.

            The young people conservatives fantasize/complain about tend to be left-wing, their ideology has practically zero representation in politics, how do you make those the scapegoats of some confusing grand Jordan Peterson style social psychology argument it makes no sense. And how does republicans tossing civil liberties to "own the libs" mesh with libs slashing the same civil liberties? It's like the spiderman pointing at each other meme.

            • WarmWasha minute ago
              People don't understand that the way the media makes money is by stoking the "two sides" war.

              People are so insanely ideologically charged up, the deepest conviction possible coming right from their lizard brain, all because they are lost in the sauce of an industry that is dependent on showing them random ads.

              It's actually kind of hilarious, and if you're one of these people, take a step back and see what's going on.

  • aaron6956 hours ago
    [dead]
  • fewfew016 hours ago
    [dead]
    • grosswait2 hours ago
      I agree. They were a narrowly focused organization, which served them well IMO. Making political statements outside of that narrow lane hurts their effectiveness.
    • tkel6 hours ago
      I know no one asked you for organizing advice, but it's important to remember that posting is not organizing

      Also, you realize you can take action not under the banner of the EFF? And you can post on X about this as much as you want. You going to let weird petty squabbles stop you from seeing the point, which is trying to stop unwarranted mass surveillance? Let us know how many calls you've whipped for this.

      • grosswait2 hours ago
        The point is that by making a “politically correct” statement outside their core mission, they alienate potential allies.

        So yes, petty squabbles do get in the way, and it applies no matter which political direction you look.

        • TRiG_Irelandan hour ago
          And making the "politically incorrect" statement of hanging out with Nazis wouldn't alienate potential allies?
    • throwawayqqq116 hours ago
      Are you taking action or would you if you could?
  • grosswait2 hours ago
    Adapting my reply to a comment:

    By leaving X, EFF has made a “politically correct” statement outside their core mission, which alienates potential allies.

    • thowme923874an hour ago
      Standing up to market manipulation and regulatory capture by platform owners and government coerced speech[1] is excellently aligned with EFF's core mission.[2]

      I enthusiastically support their activities and will continue to donate.

      https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/04/ad-firms-settle-... https://www.eff.org/about

    • ipythonan hour ago
      The simple act of leaving a private social media website is enough to “alienate” people who would otherwise be supportive? Making membership in a private social media website contribute so heavily to your personal identity seems like more of a reflection on that person than anything else.

      (FWIW, I have never had a Twitter or X account)

    • an hour ago
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    • close04an hour ago
      If your support was contingent on them being on a specific social media network, a low quality one at that, then your support was more posturing than actual support. Better to know who your real allies are and not rely on all the “I’d help but I forgot my wallet in my other social network” posers.
    • idiotsecant31 minutes ago
      Imagine being so chronically online that the choice of social media outlet an organization makes is enough to make them 'the other' in your mind. Its the weakest kind of brain rot.
    • rsingel2 hours ago
      Nah, they just finally decided to stop hanging out at the fascist playground. Seems like you like it there though
    • 2 hours ago
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