Geof Stone, "The NSA's Telephone Meta-Data Program: Part III"

The NSA's Telephone Meta-Data Program: Part III

In my last post, I explored the pros and cons of the NSA's bulk telephony meta-data program. As I reported, after considering all the competing interests and perspectives, the Review Group concluded that, in light of the availability of other means by which the government could achieve its legitimate objectives, there was "no sufficient justification to allow the government itself to collect and store bulk telephony meta-data." The Review Group therefore recommended that the meta-data program, as currently constituted, "should be terminated as soon as reasonably practicable."

At the same time, though, the Review Group found that access to telephony meta-data can be useful to the government in its effort to identify terrorists operating inside the United States. The challenge was to figure out how best to preserve the legitimate value of the program while at the same time reducing its risks personal privacy and individual freedom.

To strike a better balance, the Review Group recommends several important changes in the program as it currently exists.

Read more at The Huffington Post