A look at the NSA spying controversy

For some time now, the National Security Association’s private program codenamed “PRISM” has been secretly gathering information from phone services like Verizon, traces from e-mails, and other digital footprints have been recorded on the NSA’s servers. The amount of what the government is collecting is still unknown. Officials have stated that the program is relatively harmless and no specific person can get access to another’s specific private online information.

One of the men supporting the program is current director of the NSA Keith Alexander. Alexander has explained that this unpopular program was needed in order to curb domestic terrorism and threats from external forces.

Alexander gave credit to PRISM and the intelligence agency in general for preventing a subway attack in New York, which would have been one of the most devastating attacks since 9/11. According to him, the events of 9/11 came to fruition from a lack of intelligence and programs capable of monitoring information that could have led to the discovery of the terrorist plots before they happened.

The NSA leak goes back to one man – Edward Snowden. Snowden’s testimony about the CIA and NSA. Being a formal intelligence member, Snowden contradicts Alexander’s statement about being able to access personal people’s information. In fact, Snowden stated that anyone can be breached within a matter of minutes, having access to personal e-mails, phone calls, etc.

After Snowden came forward he then fled the country and ended up gaining asylum in Russia where he is now living.

Story by Zach Orth
Art by Cassidy Daugherty