Yahoo Allegedly Scanned Emails for U.S. Intelligence Agencies

[CharlesHarris]

A Reuters exclusive alleged that Yahoo scanned the emails of hundreds of millions of users for terms provided by the NSA or FBI. According to the report, the search was for a specific "signature" used by an as-yet unnamed state-sponsored terrorist group.

The searches apparently occurred in real time as messages arrived in a user’s inbox. It is also alleged that the intelligence sharing operation caused several executives to leave the company, including the Chief Information Security Officer, who disagreed with the policy. Yahoo has not responded to the claims as orders from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court cannot be disclosed.

While government agencies have requested internet or telecomm corporations hand over information in bulk before, this is the first publicly known instance of scanning occurring in real time. Some information security experts believe that Yahoo should have challenged the edict given its size and scope. This situation could reignite the debate over the private sector’s dual obligations to support national security initiatives while simultaneously protecting users’ privacy.

[CharlesHarris]

[Mortblanc]

This appears to be a very tricky maneuver where the "edict" was classified so the company was prevented from revealing that the request was made by national security laws, so it could not be challenged in court without violating security clearance.

Also seems to be focused on specific terms, words and phrases and red flags them as soon as they hit the mailbox.

[Skean Dhude]

What a shocker. Everyone should know that their emails are scanned and in many cases recorded as default. Despite what we are told our governments do what they want and anyone that stands in their way is toast. Clinton even suggested blowing Julian Assange up and if he had been more accessible he would be pushing up daisies now.

[Mortblanc]

Which Clinton?

Balls Clinton or No Balls Clinton?

We need to be specific these days.

[harrypalmer]

[Straight Shooter]

Harry......are you are suggesting that the American people have a Real choice politically ? ...in fact do you think here in the UK we have CHOICE ?......Years ago here in the Welsh valleys where most men were coal miners and sheep were scared shitless most voted Labour ....it mattered not who the candidate was....one time a single celled organism stood....and romped home and won.....whilst being interviewed on local TV it did not give any answers to any questions asked....but more important when they looked back on its track record they discovered IT did actually do fuck all of any worth, the only notoriety that got mentioned was the fiddling of its expenses .....sound familiar harry .

[Mortblanc]