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AT&T wiretap whistleblower fights Senate deal

Nosy Feds are reading your emails
Thursday, 8 November 2007, 12:39

IN 2002, Mark Klein, a former technician for AT&T, came forward with information that the company was collecting data for the National Security Agency. His testimony was central to several class-action lawsuits against AT&T for its alleged wiretapping.

Klein says there are 15 to 20 rooms with dozens of people taking data directly from a splitter on the fibre. He says the White house has portrayed this as a narrow problem. When actually EVERYTHING on the Internet is being looked at by NSA.

Klein is now in Washington, D.C., to speak out against a possible Senate deal that would grant immunity to AT&T and the other telecoms for their role in NSA surveillance — effectively nullifying those lawsuits.

You can listen to the (6 minute, 54 second) radio story here. µ

See Also
US is the world's telecom switchboard
Verizon exercises right to free speech

Judge tells US spooks to sling their hook
AT &T to customers: All your data are belong to us
Bush denies phone database allegations
AT &T sued for spying

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Comments
what a loser

so this jerk thinks he is a hero or something...yikes..this program is protecting my life and everyones else(but this guy doesn't realize)...guess he will sell a book next and make money selling out his government. just wish I can meet this clown in a dark alley soon.

posted by : kewl guy, 08 November 2007 Complain about this comment
Modern hero

Now there's a guy you might want to sponsor if you are a company, makes you come of as reliable and let's face it, he's pretty impressive to keep the fight going, because I'm sure he's under plenty of pressure.
Of course he might be unable to accept sponsorship because then they spin he was lying/BS'ing for corporate interests, but damn he should get credit for respecting freedom and privacy.

posted by : W.-, 08 November 2007 Complain about this comment
Value your privacy ?

How about demonstrating your willingness to have no privacy - post the name of your employer, and your salary.

posted by : David Wilde, 08 November 2007 Complain about this comment
hero? maybe

He's probably just following his conscience like hopefully most of us try to do. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and believe that he is.

Whistleblowers are, unfortunately, made out to be bad guys but they serve a very important role in our society.

Take a look at this link to see the very important things whistle blowers have done for us: http://www.whistleblower.org/template/index.cfm

Wikipedia has an entire section of "Famous whistleblowers" that have helped the common good.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whistleblower#Common_reactions_to_whistleblowing

posted by : jweller13, 08 November 2007 Complain about this comment
braniac

Hey, way to go kewl guy.

Why don't you make some more threatening posts on the internet?

Heck, it's not like anyone's watching you, eh?

Remember, "First, they came for the ones named 'Mark Klein' but I did not speak up because my name was 'kewl guy;."

Brilliant.

posted by : Shun, 09 November 2007 Complain about this comment
Keep Drinking the Cool-Aid "kewl guy"

"kewl guy"
Sure, the government breaking every privacy law and spying on it's populace is "protecting my life", you sad git, these spying programs haven't stopped anything, keep drinking the cool aid you moral midget. And please tell us what you plan to do in that dark alley when you do meet him?

posted by : glennser, 09 November 2007 Complain about this comment
No, he is a man of principles

Actually Klein didn't sell out his government, he just exposed government lies to the public. I'd hope there are many more good citizens like him around, so the country won't be whitewashed into supporting stupid things like attacking the wrong country in the war on terror...
(Actually, I'm rather suprised he's still alive...)



posted by : Goatguy, 09 November 2007 Complain about this comment
Land of the afraid

Ah let's just forget about any legal implications... it's all about our safety right? Funny how the old joke of Russia in the 80s was 90% of Russians had video cameras and only 10% knew about them... now look at us. Land of the scare tactics and fear mongering. Welcome to Amerika! Shoot first, diplomacy later...

posted by : da funk, 09 November 2007 Complain about this comment
Quick ! Give him a medal !

Mr. Kewl Guy, you are hereby officially dubbed a White House Groupie and will shortly receive a missive from your dear Dubya thanking you for having abandoned your neurones for the safety of the State.
Congratulations on your exemplary and prompt abandon of all pretense at being a citizen concerned by privacy, liberty and justice for all.
You may present yourself to the nearest police station to be rewarded with the official Support Bush orange jumpsuit and free vacation for life in a location of your choice (Guantanamo or . . Guantanamo).
Keep up the good work !

posted by : Pascal Monett, 09 November 2007 Complain about this comment
He's a patriot

Kewl guy, are you a member of the Junior Spies?
This man exposed a massive conspiracy and provided hard evidence that our government is breaking the law by violating the constitutional limits imposed on its power. In order to spy on you, the government MUST have a finite, specific type of data it needs, and even then must still have a warrant to do so. 
What At&t and the NSA have done is a complete undermining of our founding values and poses a serious threat to privacy and liberty.

posted by : bluesdealer, 09 November 2007 Complain about this comment
Attack of the Libs/Dems..

wow did I open the floodgates for all the lib/dem/tree huggers or what ?.... I got news for ya, if a bully picks on a kid in the yard the kid HAS to retaliate or suffer. Diplomacy (running to the teacher) doesn't work......The media has brainwashed a generation of sheep....The U.S. is under attack. Illegals from the south and terrorists from the east. My safety comes first....privacy and rights take a backseat during war.......and voting for hiLIARy won't help !!! ........ Thomas Regattori , I work for Con Edison Electric, $88,000 ann salary plus benefits.

posted by : Kewl guy, 09 November 2007 Complain about this comment
Bridgeton, MO, USA has one of these rooms

AT&T in Bridgeton, MO, USA has one of these rooms.

posted by : Bob, 14 November 2007 Complain about this comment
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