Legally they need a warrant or some such paperwork to query the information on a US citizen.
Ditto in the UK.
(socynicalsohip, Fri 7 Jun 2013, 10:31, 2 replies, latest was 12 years ago)

Did you not read the story?
They don't need specific warrants because the execuitve order covers every sinlge call made using the Verizon network. It also prevents Verizon from even admitting that such an order exists.
(Bazongaloid, Fri 7 Jun 2013, 10:34, Reply)

From the original WP article, it happens, they don't care but it's still illegal.

Analysts who use the system from a Web portal at Fort Meade, Md., key in “selectors,” or search terms, that are designed to produce at least 51 percent confidence in a target’s “foreignness.” That is not a very stringent test. Training materials obtained by The Post instruct new analysts to make quarterly reports of any accidental collection of U.S. content, but add that “it’s nothing to worry about.”


www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/us-intelligence-mining-data-from-nine-us-internet-companies-in-broad-secret-program/2013/06/06/3a0c0da8-cebf-11e2-8845-d970ccb04497_story_2.html
(socynicalsohip, Fri 7 Jun 2013, 10:39, Reply)

Windy Pig writes articles?

( hartley hare Just some prick who thinks it doesn't apply to him, Fri 7 Jun 2013, 10:51, Reply)

Did you get confused between the words "executive" and "court"
m.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/06/nsa-phone-records-verizon-court-order
(PsychoChomp, Fri 7 Jun 2013, 10:43, Reply)

I don't really care.

(Bazongaloid, Fri 7 Jun 2013, 10:50, Reply)

...but that's what they want you to do.

(socynicalsohip, Fri 7 Jun 2013, 10:53, Reply)

According to the article
the whole purpose of the secret court passing a secret law for secret access to everyone's data is to bypass all that legal stuff as it's too much hassle for them.
(localboy purveyor of pisspoor puns, Fri 7 Jun 2013, 10:36, Reply)

If a court passes a law then it's legal.
Not that courts do that anyway, but if a court interprets a law and then issues a warrant or court order, then that's legal, doesn't matter if it's secret or not. Or do you think child rape convictions aren't legal because the victims names are secret?
(PsychoChomp, Fri 7 Jun 2013, 10:38, Reply)

The legality of it isn't the issue, the secrecy of it is.
In the context of politicians telling lies, quelle surprise, obviously.
(localboy purveyor of pisspoor puns, Fri 7 Jun 2013, 10:43, Reply)