While it’s obvious to everyone that the government is spying on virtually all [4] of the digital communications of Americans – phone [5], email, Internet, credit card [6], etc. – the government is pretending that it only spies on foreigners and collecting our metadata (which can actually tell a lot about us [7]).
Indeed, the government is instructing Senate staffers [8] to stick cover their eyes and pretend that the spying documents found all over the Internet don’t exist.
One free and easy way to protest mass surveillance, educate others, and yank Big Brother’s chain is simply to add a sentence to the end of your emails and web posts.
To give you the idea: you’ve seen the disclaimers at the end of emails from lawyers, investment advisers, and similar professionals. You know, the ones that say stuff like “This is a confidential communication and can’t be used by anyone but the intended recipient”. They put the same disclaimer at the end of every single email.
Why don’t we put our own disclaimer at the end of our emails and web comments, saying:
WARNING: The National Security Agency is likely recording and storing this communication as part of its unlawful spying programs on all Americans ... and people worldwide [9]. The people who created the NSA spying program say that this communication - and any responses - can and will be used against the American people at any time in the future should folks in government decide to go after us for political reasons [10]. And private information in digital communications may be given to big companies [11] by the government.
Mass surveillance doesn't keep us safe [12], and even the top national security experts say that we don't need it [13]. (They also say we should get a grip [14].)
This may help keep the issue alive even as the government desperately tries to sweep it under the rug.
Note: All modern browsers allow you to highlight, copy and then paste text with links in it into your email or web comment. If you prefer, you can copy just the text and delete the links.