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View Full Version : Fox News special examines the NSA / Utah Data Center - Sunday at 9 pm ET




jct74
04-13-2013, 05:33 PM
NSA data center front and center in debate over liberty, security and privacy

By Catherine Herridge | Published April 12, 2013 | FoxNews.com


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RbcW-rQ7o0


Twenty-five miles due south of Salt Lake City, a massive construction project is nearing completion. The heavily secured site belongs to the National Security Agency.

"The spy center" -- that's what some of the locals like Jasmine Widmer, who works at Bluffdale's sandwich shop, told our Fox News team as part of an eight month investigation into data collection and privacy rights that will be broadcast Sunday at 9 p.m. ET called "Fox News Reporting: Your Secrets Out.”

The NSA says the Utah Data Center is a facility for the intelligence community that will have a major focus on cyber security. The agency will neither confirm nor deny specifics. Some published reports suggest it could hold 5 zettabytes of data. (Just one zettabyte is the equivalent of about 62 billion stacked iPhones 5's-- that stretches past the moon.

One man we hoped would answer our questions, the current director of the NSA General Keith Alexander, declined Fox News's requests to sit down for an interview, so we stopped by the offices of a Washington think tank, where Alexander was speaking at a cyber security event last year.

...


read more:
http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2013/04/12/nsa-data-center-front-and-center-in-debate-over-liberty-security-and-privacy/

itshappening
04-13-2013, 05:41 PM
interesting...

liberty2897
04-13-2013, 05:45 PM
Asked if the Utah Data Center would hold the data of American citizens, Alexander said, "No...we don't hold data on U.S. citizens," adding that the NSA staff "take protecting your civil liberties and privacy as the most important thing that they do, and securing this nation."

Completely full of shit.

Reason
04-13-2013, 09:15 PM
I feel safer...

Anti Federalist
04-13-2013, 09:21 PM
Asked if the Utah Data Center would hold the data of American citizens, Alexander said, "No...we don't hold data on U.S. citizens," adding that the NSA staff "take protecting your civil liberties and privacy as the most important thing that they do, and securing this nation."

http://i.imgur.com/3X9Brk1.gif


No, I mean it, I'm really serious...

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m03dutXOzM1qbxmbeo1_500.gif


"I'm telling you the truth!" stated Alexander.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3kfib8QWY1rpl3bro1_500.gif

jct74
04-13-2013, 10:30 PM
Glenn Beck / TheBlazeTV did an hour long special about the NSA a few weeks ago too, had Binney and Drake and others whistleblowers in it and also interviewed Rand Paul.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r40iDUFgAXE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r40iDUFgAXE

Anti Federalist
04-14-2013, 09:57 AM
///

torchbearer
04-14-2013, 10:04 AM
These information centers do in fact have a database of every person- with every thing you could possibly pull on the person in it. the local pd are given free reign to use the database for even the most mundane things. no judges order required. you are being spied on.

torchbearer
04-14-2013, 10:10 AM
maybe i should be whistleblower to aclu. i'm a direct witness to some bad behavior.

Anti Federalist
04-14-2013, 10:10 AM
These information centers do in fact have a database of every person- with every thing you could possibly pull on the person in it. the local pd are given free reign to use the database for even the most mundane things. no judges order required. you are being spied on.

OK, you got that?

Is that clear?

Everything you do is going into the Matrix.

And you people think you can reason with these people?

This is Total Information Awareness...remember that?

You know, the program they told you five years ago was being shut down?

So everybody went back to sleep and nobody gave a shit and now here it is, up and fully running.

Anti Federalist
04-14-2013, 10:12 AM
maybe i should be whistleblower to aclu. i'm a direct witness to some bad behavior.

ACLU?

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m03dutXOzM1qbxmbeo1_500.gif

I'd take it somewhere, but not there.

Institute for Justice?

CATO?

Rutherford Institute?

Jones?

torchbearer
04-14-2013, 10:13 AM
ACLU?

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m03dutXOzM1qbxmbeo1_500.gif

I'd take it somewhere, but not there.

Institute for Justice?

CATO?

Rutherford Institute?

Jones?

how big is institute for justice? do they have the funds to take it all the way?

Anti Federalist
04-14-2013, 10:17 AM
how big is institute for justice? do they have the funds to take it all the way?

Pretty big.

They won some high profile cases.

http://ij.org/cases/economicliberty

Could you get a copy of your own file, redact out your personal info and post it?

torchbearer
04-14-2013, 10:20 AM
Pretty big.

They won some high profile cases.

http://ij.org/cases/economicliberty

Could you get a copy of your own file, redact out your personal info and post it?
i'd give them a deposition over the phone. i know it has to be done from a place here that can swear me in and witness that i gave the testimony.

Anti Federalist
04-14-2013, 10:25 AM
i'd give them a deposition over the phone. i know it has to be done from a place here that can swear me in and witness that i gave the testimony.

That would go a long way to exposing this, for what that's worth.

If you could show all the data that is being collected on you, personally, that you could vouch for, might get some of these groups interested.

torchbearer
04-14-2013, 10:29 AM
That would go a long way to exposing this, for what that's worth.

If you could show all the data that is being collected on you, personally, that you could vouch for, might get some of these groups interested. it will be tough when they usually keep an armed thug looking over my shoulder as a i work. but i could request my own report out of curiosity, and see what they say. i mean, after all, it is my info. just hope they don't see 'patriot group' red flag on it.

Anti Federalist
04-14-2013, 10:42 AM
it will be tough when they usually keep an armed thug looking over my shoulder as a i work. but i could request my own report out of curiosity, and see what they say. i mean, after all, it is my info. just hope they don't see 'patriot group' red flag on it.

You have that "right".



Go FOIA Yourself!

Friday, March 02, 2012 - 01:22 PM

By Sarah Abdurrahman

http://www.onthemedia.org/blogs/on-the-media/2012/mar/02/go-foia-yourself/

On this week’s show, we have a few stories exploring the subject of transparency. Inspired by the story of a woman who discovered the FBI had a 436-page report on her after sending in a bunch of personal FOIA requests, I decided to make the government get transparent with me as well.

We talk a great deal about FOIA—the Freedom of Information Act—on our program, but until this week, I had never considered doing a FOIA request on myself. In hindsight, it seems so obvious! It’s like sending out your DNA to learn about your genealogy—except instead of finding out your family origins, you get to learn what information the government is collecting about you.

Sounds fun, right?

(Fun? Fun??!! Who the fuck ARE these people??? See, this, this right here, THIS is why I can't play with the "straights" any more. You people are all fucked in the fucking head, and your stupid asses are taking ME with you. Fuck you people. - AF)

Fun, and surprisingly easy. To submit FOIA requests about yourself, all you have to do is write a letter to the specific agency whose files you want. You don’t even have to get it notarized, as long as you declare “under penalty of perjury” that you are who you say are. To create my letters, I used the website getmyfbifile.com, which allows you to input your information and select which agencies to generate letters for. If you aren’t comfortable putting in your personal information, you can also just print the letters with blank spaces for you to write in the details. And if you don’t want to do that, you can go to the different government agency websites and find detailed instructions on how to submit a FOIA request.

torchbearer
04-14-2013, 10:45 AM
How to Submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) or Privacy Act Request to the Department of Homeland Security
http://www.dhs.gov/how-submit-foia-or-privacy-act-request-department-homeland-security

torchbearer
04-14-2013, 10:49 AM
Requirements for Submitting a Privacy Act Request

If you believe that the Department has records on you, please submit the following information:

State your full name, current address, date of birth, and place of birth.

If you request the Department to release records pertaining to you to another individual, (i.e. requesters seeking records to be released to their attorney or someone else acting on their behalf, those seeking to have records released to a parent or legal guardian), you must include a signed statement certifying your agreement for that individual to access records about you.

Explain why you believe the Department would have information on you.

Identify which Department component(s) you believe may have information about you.

Identify which of the Department's system of records (the term "system of records" means a group of any records under the control of any agency from which information is retrieved by the name of the individual or by some identifying number, symbol, or other identifying particular assigned to the individual) you believe the records are to be found in.

Specify when you believe the records were created.

Provide any other information that will help the FOIA staff determine which Department component agency may have responsive records.

Sign your request. Your signature must either be notarized or submitted by you under 28 U.S.C. 1746, a law that permits statements to be made under penalty of perjury as a substitute for notarization.
//

Anti Federalist
04-14-2013, 10:53 AM
How to Submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) or Privacy Act Request to the Department of Homeland Security
http://www.dhs.gov/how-submit-foia-or-privacy-act-request-department-homeland-security

What is key is getting a hard copy, to prove that all that information that is being collected in your dangan is actually being spread by the Fusion Centers and any asshole cop can just glom onto it whenever he wants.

Oh, what's a "dangan" you ask?

Look for the thread...

torchbearer
04-14-2013, 11:02 AM
ok, i've found the who and where:

where: Incident Reporting System(this is the name of the database system)
who: Louisiana State Analytic & Fusion Exchange

tangent4ronpaul
04-14-2013, 12:35 PM
When filing one of these, you should always request it under the FOIA and Privacy act.


Explain why you believe the Department would have information on you.

Identify which Department component(s) you believe may have information about you.

Identify which of the Department's system of records (the term "system of records" means a group of any records under the control of any agency from which information is retrieved by the name of the individual or by some identifying number, symbol, or other identifying particular assigned to the individual) you believe the records are to be found in.

Specify when you believe the records were created.

Provide any other information that will help the FOIA staff determine which Department component agency may have responsive records.

And if they don't find records, well you now have a file and an open investigation...

Here is a page of links on DHS records systems:
http://www.dhs.gov/system-records-notices-sorns

System of Records Notices (SORNs)

A System of Records is a group of any records under the control of any agency from which information is retrieved by the name of the individual or by some identifying number, symbol, or other identifier assigned to the individual. The Privacy Act requires each agency to publish notice of its systems of records in the Federal Register. This notice is generally referred to as a system of records notice (SORN).

Note how many have Privacy act exemptions... These include anytime you might be a suspected terrorist, or get singled out for "special attention' from TSA... Say if you support Ron Paul for prez...

There is also something called a "Glomar response". What I'm currently finding is if they wrote back and said they "could neither confirm nor deny" finding records related to your inquiry. What I've heard in the past is that they simply say they found no records, even though they have them.

You should add records at the local field office to wherever you have lived. Not everything goes back to HQ.

The problem with fusion centers is all sorts of different hats staff them, so you ask for local LE records, and they will say oh - well those are DHS records and we don't have anything... These different agencies have different rules about what they can't do, and they take advantage of this to sidestep these restrictions.

There are also commercial databases. You know those club cards grocery stores hand out to give you discounts if you have one? Yep - sign up for one and you granted them permission to spy on you. You can access (with a subscription, and get charged by the minute) these and find out what your target likes to eat for breakfast, their income, what magazines they subscribe to, unlisted phone numbers, how many kids you have, their ages, who your neighbors are, etc, etc, etc... They won't release this info to you because it's "propitiatory".

As to record systems, here's a list of the FBI's:

http://newstrench.com/secret-no-more/secret-no-more-fbi-central-records-systems-classification/

FBI Central Records Systems Classification

The first three numbers of any FBI file designation indicate the kind of offense the FBI was investigating when it opened the file. For example, a file number that begins “025” would be classification 25, or an investigation into draft evasion or violation of the Selective Service Act.
1 National Academy matters
2 Neutrality Matter
3 Destruction or Overthrow of the Government
4 National Firearms Act
5 Income Tax
6 Interstate Transportation of Strikebreakers
7 Kidnapping
8 Migratory Bird Act
9 Extortion
10 Red Cross Act
11 Tax (other than income)
12 Narcotics
13 National Defense Act; Prostitution; Selling Whiskey Within Army Camps, 1920 only (obsolete)
14 Sedition
15 Theft from Interstate Shipment
16 Consolidated into Classification 69
17 Fraud Against the Government – Veterans Administration
18 May Act
19 Censorship Matters
20 Federal Grain Standards Act, 1920 only (obsolete)
21 Food and Drugs
22 National Motor Vehicle Traffic Act, 1922-27 (obsolete)
23 Prohibition
24 Profiteering, 1920-24 (obsolete)
25 Selective Service Act
26 Interstate Transportation of Stolen Motor Vehicles and Stolen Aircraft
27 Patent Matter
28 Copyright Matters
29 Bank Fraud and Embezzlement
30 Interstate Quarantine Law (obsolete)
31 White Slave Traffic Act
32 Fingerprint Matters
33 Uniform Crime Reporting
34 Violation of Lacy Act, 1922-43 (obsolete)
35 Civil Service
36 Mail Fraud
37 False Claim Against the Government, 1922-29 (obsolete)
38 Application for Pardon to Restore Civil Rights, 1921-35 (obsolete)
39 Falsely Claiming Citizenship (obsolete)
40 Passport and Visa Matters
41 Explosives (obsolete)
42 Deserter
43 Illegal Wearing of Uniform
44 Civil Rights
45 Crime on the High Seas
46 Fraud Against the Government
47 Impersonation
48 Postal Violations (except Mail Fraud)
49 National Bankruptcy Act
50 Involuntary Servitude and Slavery
51 Jury Panel Investigation
52 Theft or Destruction of Government Property
53 Excess Profits on Wool, 1918 (obsolete)
54 Customs Laws and Smuggling
55 Counterfeiting
56 Election Laws
57 War Labor Dispute Act (obsolete)
58 Bribery; Conflict of Interest
59 World War Adjusted Compensation Act, 1924-44 (obsolete)
60 Anti-Trust
61 Treason
62 Miscellaneous-Nonsubversive
64 Foreign Miscellaneous
65 Espionage
66 Administrative Matters
67 Personnel Matters
68 Alaskan Matters (obsolete)
69 Contempt of Court
70 Crime on Government Reservation
71 Bills of Lading Act
72 Obstruction of Criminal Investigations
73 Application for Pardon
74 Perjury
75 Bondsmen and Sureties
76 Escaped Federal Prisoner
77 Applicants (Special Inquiry, Departmental, Other Gov’t Agencies)
78 Illegal use of Government Transportation Requests
79 Missing Persons
80 Laboratory Research Matters, Headquarters
81 Gold Hoarding, 1933-45 (obsolete)
82 War Risk Insurance (obsolete)
83 Claims court
84 Reconstruction Finance Corporation Act (obsolete)
85 Home Owners Loan Corporation (obsolete)
86 Fraud Against the Government – Small Business Administration
87 Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property
88 Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution
89 Assaulting or Killing a Federal Officer
90 Irregularities in Federal Penal Institutions
91 Bank Robbery
92 Racketeering Enterprise Investigations
93 Ascertaining Financial Ability
94 Research Matters
95 Laboratory Examinations
96 Alien Applicants (obsolete)
97 Foreign Agents Registration Act
98 Sabotage
99 Plant Survey (obsolete)
100 Domestic Security
101 Hatch Act (obsolete)
102 Voorhis Act
103 Interstate Transportation of Stolen Cattle
104 Servicemen’s Dependents Allowance Act of 1942 (obsolete)
105 Foreign Counterintelligence
106 Alien Enemy Control
107 Denaturalization Proceedings (obsolete)
108 Foreign Travel Control (obsolete)
109 Foreign Political Matters
110 Foreign Economic Matters
111 Foreign Social Conditions
112 Foreign Funds
113 Foreign Military and Naval Matters
114 Alien Property Custodian Matter (obsolete)
115 Bond Default
116 Department of Energy, Applicant
117 Atomic Energy Act
118 Applicant, Central Intelligence Agency (obsolete)
119 Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act
120 Federal Tort Claims Act
121 Loyalty of Government Employees (obsolete)
122 Labor Management Relations Act
123 Special Inquiry, State Department, Voice of America (obsolete)
124 European Recovery Program (obsolete)
125 Railway Labor Act
126 National Security Resources Board (obsolete)
127 Sensitive Positions in the United States Government (obsolete)
128 International Development Program (obsolete)
129 Evacuation Claims (obsolete)
130 Special Inquiry, Armed Forces Security Act (obsolete)
131 Admiralty Matter
132 Special Inquiry, Office of Defense Mobilization (obsolete)
133 National Science Foundation Act Applicant (obsolete)
134 Foreign Counterintelligence Assets
135 PROSAB – Protection of Strategic Air Command Bases of the US Air Force (obsolete)
136 American Legion Contacts (obsolete)
137 Informants
138 Loyalty of Employees of International Organizations
139 Interception of Communications
140 Security of Government Employees
141 False Entries in Records of Interstate Carriers
142 Illegal Use of Railroad Pass
143 Interstate Transportation of Gambling Devices
144 Interstate Transportation of Lottery Tickets
145 Interstate Transportation of Obscene Matter
146 Interstate Transportation of Prison Made Goods
147 Fraud Against the Government-Department of Housing and Urban Development
148 Interstate Transportation of Fireworks
149 Destruction of Aircraft or Motor Vehicles
150 Harboring of Federal Fugitives, Statistics (obsolete)
151 Referral Cases from Office of Personnel Management, Applicant Loyalty
152 Switchblade Knife Act
153 Automobile Information Disclosure Unit
154 Interstate Transportation of Unsafe Refrigerators
155 National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958
156 Employee Retirement Income Security Act
157 Civil Unrest
158 Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (obsolete)
159 Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959
160 Federal Train Wreck Statute
161 Special Inquiries for White House, Congressional Committees, and Other Government Agencies
162 Interstate Gambling Activities
163 Foreign Police Cooperation
164 Crime Aboard Aircraft
165 Interstate Transmission of Wagering Information
166 Interstate Transportation in Aid of Racketeering
167 Destruction of Interstate Property
168 Interstate Transportation of Wagering Paraphernalia
169 Hydraulic Brake Fluid Act (obsolete)
170 Extremist Informants (obsolete)
171 Motor Vehicle Seat Belt Act (obsolete)
172 Sports Bribery
173 Civil Rights Act of 1964
174 Explosives and Incendiary Devices
175 Assaulting, Kidnapping or Killing the President
176 Antiriot Laws
177 Discrimination in Housing
178 Interstate Obscene or Harassing Telephone Calls
179 Extortionate Credit Transactions
180 Desecrationof the Flag
181 Consumer Credit Protection Act
182 Illegal Gambling Business
183 Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations
184 Police Killings
185 Protection of Foreign Officials and Official Guests
186 Real Estate Settlement Procedure Act of 1974
187 Privacy Act of 1974
188 Crime Resistance
189 Equal Credit Opportunity Act
190 Freedom of Information / Privacy Acts
191 False Identity Matter (obsolete)
192 Hobbs Act – Financial Institutions; Commercial Institutions
193 Hobbs Act – Commercial Institutions (obsolete)
194 Hobbs Act – Corruption of Public Officials
195 Hobbs Act – Labor Related
196 Fraud by Wire
197 Civil Actions or Claims Against the Government
198 Crime on Indian Reservations
199 Foreign Counterintelligence – Terrorism
200 Foreign Counterintelligence Matters
201 Foreign Counterintelligence Matters
202 Foreign Counterintelligence Matters
203 Foreign Counterintelligence Matters
205 Foreign Revenue Sharing
205 Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977
206 Fraud Against the Government
207 Fraud Against the Government
208 Fraud Against the Government
209 Fraud Against the Government
210 Fraud Against the Government
211 Ethics in Government Act of 1978
212 Foreign Counterintelligence – Intelligence Community Support
213 Fraud Against the Government
214 Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act
215-229 Foreign Counterintelligence Matters
230-240 FBI Training Matters
241 DEA Applicant Investigations
242 Automation Matters
243 Intelligence Identities Protection Act of 1982
244 Hostage Recuse Team
245 Drug Investigative Task Force
246-248 Foreign Counterintelligence Matters
249 Toxic Waste Matters
250 Tampering with Consumer Products
251 Controlled Substances
252 National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime/Violent Criminal Apprehension Program – NCAVC/VI-CAP
253 Fraud and Related Activity in Connection with Identification Documents
254 Destruction of Energy Facilities
255 Counterfeiting of State and Corporate Securities
256 Hostage Taking – Terrorism
257 Trademark Counterfeiting Act of 1984
258 Credit and/or Debit Card Fraud
259 Security Clearance Investigations Program
260 Industrial Security Program
261 Security Office Matters
262 Overseas Homicide – Attempted Homicide
263 OPR – Office of Professional Responsibility Matters
264 Computer Fraud and Abuse
265 Acts of Terrorism in the United States – International Terrorists
266 Acts of Terrorism in the United States – Domestic Terrorists
267 Drug Related Homicide
268 Engineering Technical Matters – FCI
269 Engineering Technical Matters – Non-FCI
270 Cooperative Witnesses
271 Arms Control Treaty Matters
272 Money Laundering
273 Adoptive Forfeiture Matters – Drugs
274 Adoptive Forfeiture Matters – Organized Crime
275 Adoptive Forfeiture Matters – White Collar Crime
276 Adoptive Forfeiture Matters – Violent Crimes and Major Offenders
277 Adoptive Forfeiture Matters – Counterterrorism
278 President’s Intelligence Oversight Board Matters
279 Weapons of Mass Destruction
280 Equal Employment Opportunity Matters
281 Organized Crime Drug Investigations
282 Color of Law
283 Foreign Counterintelligence Investigations
284 Economic Counterintelligence
285 Acts of Economic Espionage
286 Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances
288 Computer Intrusion – Criminal
289 Witness Security Program
290 Alien Terrorist Removal Court
292 Domestic Emergency Support Team
293 Foreign Emergency Support Team
295 Intellectual Property Rights
296 Integrity Committee Matters
297 Inspection Matters
298 National Sex Offender Registry – Violations
300 Counterterrorism Preparedness
301 Missing Persons DNA Database
302 Foreign Counterintelligence Investigations
303 Foreign Counterintelligence Investigations
304 Foreign Counterintelligence Investigations
305 Innocent Images National Initiative
306 Serial Killings
307 Foreign Counterintelligence Investigations
308 ERT Administrative Matters
309 Human Rights Offenses
310 Foreign Counterintelligence Investigations
311 Foreign Counterintelligence Investigations
312 Cyber Crime – Training Received and Provided
314 InfraGard
315 International Terrorism Investigations
316 Cyber Crime – Other
318 Corporate Fraud; Prime Bank and High-Yield Investment Fraud, Insider Trading, Market Manipulation
319 Administrative Records
321 Operations/Program Management
322 Bioterrorism Risk Assessment Matters
323 Hazardous Material Response Team
324 Foreign Counterintelligence Investigations
325 Foreign Counterintelligence Investigations
326 Foreign Counterintelligence Investigations
327 Foreign Counterintelligence Investigations
329 Mortgage Fraud
330 Advanced Technologies Investigations
332 Media Leak
333 Legal Advice and Opinions
800 Intelligence Program
801 International and Domestic Terrorism
802 Counterintelligence
803 Cyber
804 Criminal
805 Directorate of National Intelligence Requirements
806 Directorate of National Intelligence, Other
807 Weapons Of Mass Destruction
808 Foreign Intelligence Program
809 Foreign Intelligence Program
810 Foreign Intelligence Program
811 Foreign Intelligence Program
812 Foreign Intelligence Program
813 Foreign Intelligence Program
814 Foreign Intelligence Program
900 Major Case – Terrorism

-t

torchbearer
04-14-2013, 12:44 PM
sedition

torchbearer
04-14-2013, 12:48 PM
Sample FOIA Request Letters
http://www.nfoic.org/sample-foia-request-letters

torchbearer
04-14-2013, 12:51 PM
Privacy Act Request for Access Letter


Privacy Act Officer [or System of Records Manager]
Name of Agency
Address of Agency
City, State, Zip Code
Re: Privacy Act Request for Access
Dear ___________________:
This is a request under the Privacy Act of 1974.
I request a copy of any records [or specifically named records] about me maintained at your agency.
[Optional] To help you to locate my records, I have had the following contacts with your agency: [mention job applications, periods of employment, loans or agency programs applied for, etc.].
[Optional] Please consider that this request is also made under the Freedom of Information Act. Please provide any additional information that may be available under the FOIA.
[Optional] I am willing to pay fees for this request up to a maximum of $_____. If you estimate that the fees will exceed this limit, please inform me first.
[Optional] Enclosed is [a notarized signature or other identifying document] that will verify my identity.
Thank you for your consideration of this request.
Sincerely,

Name
Address
City, State, Zip Code
Telephone number [Optional]

//

torchbearer
04-14-2013, 12:52 PM
i read that they have 20 days to respond. but i didn't see any recourse prescribed in cases they didn't respond.

torchbearer
04-14-2013, 12:55 PM
or a better version:


Agency Head [or Freedom of Information Act Officer]
Name of Agency
Address of Agency
City, State, Zip Code Re: Freedom of Information Act Request
Dear _____________:

This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act.
I request that a copy of the following documents [or documents containing the following information] be provided to me: [identify the documents or information as specifically as possible.]
In order to help to determine my status to assess fees, you should know that I am [insert a suitable description of the requester and the purpose of the request.]
[Sample requester descriptions:
a representative of the news media affiliated with the ________________ newspaper (magazine, television station, etc.), and this request is made as part of a news gathering and not for commercial use.
affiliated with an educational or noncommercial scientific institution, and this request is made for a scholarly or scientific purpose and not for commercial use.
an individual seeking information for personal use and not for commercial use.
affiliated with a private corporation and am seeking information for use in the company's business.]
[Optional] I am willing to pay fees for this request up to a maximum of $____. If you estimate that the fees will exceed this limit, please inform me first.
[Optional] I request a waiver of all fees for this request. Disclosure of the requested information to me is in the public interest because it is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the government and is not primarily in my commercial interest. [Include a specific explanation.]
Thank you for your consideration of my request.
Sincerely, Name Address City, State, Zip Code Telephone Number [Optional]

torchbearer
04-14-2013, 12:57 PM
or this one:
Date

Agency FOIA/Privacy Act Officer
Name of agency or agency component
Address (see on whom to contact (http://publications.usa.gov/epublications/foia/foia.htm#contact))
Re: Privacy Act Request
Dear __________________:
Under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. subsection 552, and the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. subsection 552a, I am requesting access to [identify the records as clearly and specifically as possible].
If there are any fees for searching for or copying the records, please let me know before you work on my request. [Or, please supply the records without informing me of the cost if the fees do not exceed $______________ which I agree to pay.
If you deny all or any part of this request, please cite each specific exemption you think justifies your refusal to release the information and notify me of appeal procedures available under the law.
Optional: If you have any questions about handling this request, you may telephone me at ______________(home phone) or at ______________ (office phone).

Sincerely,

Name
Address
Enclosure (proof of identity)

tangent4ronpaul
04-14-2013, 12:59 PM
LOL! - respond, yeah...

Dear Mister Torch Bearer,

we receiver your FOIA request dated x/y/z on a/b/c. Requests are divided into queue's, simple requests go in the short queue, more complicated ones into the middle queue and complex requests in the long queue. We have determined that your request falls into the complex queue. With our current backlog, we anticipate a 4 1/2 year wait before we are able to respond to your request...

SEE! - They responded!

Expect this!

-t

torchbearer
04-14-2013, 01:05 PM
LOL! - respond, yeah...

Dear Mister Torch Bearer,

we receiver your FOIA request dated x/y/z on a/b/c. Requests are divided into queue's, simple requests go in the short queue, more complicated ones into the middle queue and complex requests in the long queue. We have determined that your request falls into the complex queue. With our current backlog, we anticipate a 4 1/2 year wait before we are able to respond to your request...

SEE! - They responded!

Expect this!

-t

I expect to get SWATted after my request. mainly because i'm probably the only mundane that would go through the trouble of sending my overlords such a request. i expect my request to be passed around their office and laughed at. maybe they can enlarge it to ledger size paper and use it as a humor poster in their hallways. that is what i expect.

torchbearer
04-14-2013, 01:07 PM
but like a credit report, you'd want to keep track of what is listed in this database, just to look out for misinfo. i could play this as being a responsible citizen who wants to make sure that all the info they collected on me is correct.

tangent4ronpaul
04-14-2013, 01:16 PM
but like a credit report, you'd want to keep track of what is listed in this database, just to look out for misinfo. i could play this as being a responsible citizen who wants to make sure that all the info they collected on me is correct.

That's a good rational, but you might add that with so many reports of people being put on no fly lists or being denied the right to vote because their name was similar to someone else, you want to make sure that any records that may be about you are actually about you.

-t

tangent4ronpaul
04-14-2013, 01:19 PM
Obama promised to have the most open administration in history, but ever since he's been in office, FOIA act requests have been largely stonewalled.

-t

sailingaway
04-14-2013, 01:25 PM
That's a good rational, but you might add that with so many reports of people being put on no fly lists or being denied the right to vote because their name was similar to someone else, you want to make sure that any records that may be about you are actually about you.

-t

They don't have a right to them regardles.. If someone is rummaging through my drawers for info I don't just want to make sure they have the true story, I want them out of my drawers. Anonymity IS privacy.

tangent4ronpaul
04-14-2013, 01:25 PM
You can also ask for FOIA logs. These are requests others have made. It's a simple and easy request to fill. If you see something that that is interesting you can bootstrap their request and when more than one person makes the same or similar request it raises it higher in the queue.

If the request has already been granted, you get instant gratification.

-t

torchbearer
04-14-2013, 01:30 PM
You can also ask for FOIA logs. These are requests others have made. It's a simple and easy request to fill. If you see something that that is interesting you can bootstrap their request and when more than one person makes the same or similar request it raises it higher in the queue.

If the request has already been granted, you get instant gratification.

-t

can you request foia logs concerning yourself specifically?

tangent4ronpaul
04-14-2013, 01:56 PM
can you request foia logs concerning yourself specifically?

Sure, but why? It would only turn up requests you made yourself or if someone asked for files about you and that wouldn't be granted.

-t

tangent4ronpaul
04-14-2013, 02:01 PM
http://www.publiceye.org/magazine/v24n4/intelligence-fusion-centers.html

Privacy Pitfalls

State governments established fusion centers with federal dollars in the absence of any legal framework, and their data mining occurs in a legal vacuum outside the scope of the Fourth Amendment, which bars unreasonable searches.[30] Although data mining can have real consequences for individuals tracked, there are no legal guarantees for the accuracy or appropriateness of the data or the searches, no redress for people injured by being falsely identified as posing a threat, and no judicial or legislative oversight. Some fusion centers purge data searches after one or five years, but no one is responsible for doing so. Fusion center records are also beyond the reach of the Privacy Act of 1974, which regulates and gives individuals access to the files of federal agencies.

The main federal regulation governing criminal intelligence databases is 28 CFR Part 23. Congress enacted Part 23 in a series of reforms initiated during the 1970s to curb widespread abuses of police investigations for political purposes. It is designed to ensure that police intelligence operations focus on illegal behavior by requiring that criminal intelligence systems “collect and maintain criminal intelligence information concerning an individual only if there is reasonable suspicion that the individual is involved in criminal conduct or activity and the information is relevant to that criminal conduct or activity.”

Fusion centers receiving federal funds are required to abide by Part 23, but the federal government actively promotes the violation of the regulation by encouraging fusion centers to collect noncriminal intelligence and to draw on public and private sector data. Not only is the government failing to enforce or intensely monitor compliance with Part 23, but this regulation may not go far enough to protect privacy and free expression in the current environment.



Fusion centers operate under the directorate of Intelligence and Analysis of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Here are their Privacy act exemptions:

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2008-09-30/html/E8-22603.htm

and there records systems:

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2008-05-15/html/E8-10888.htm

-t

torchbearer
04-14-2013, 02:13 PM
Sure, but why? It would only turn up requests you made yourself or if someone asked for files about you and that wouldn't be granted.

-t if the log shows that someone from leesville requested my info recently, i know that they did so for reasons outside proper use.

tangent4ronpaul
04-14-2013, 02:20 PM
Here are some DHS MDR and FOIA logs:

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) Request Log for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), 2005-2010 [PDF 254 KB - 03-May-2010]
http://www.governmentattic.org/3docs/DHS-MDR-Log_2005-2010.pdf

FOIA Logs for Dept. of Homeland Security, 2007 [PDF 280 KB - 17-Mar-2009]
http://www.governmentattic.org/2docs/FOIA_Logs_DHS_2007.pdf

FOIA Logs for Dept of Homeland Security for FY 2004–2005 [PDF 516 KB - 09-Dec-2007]
http://www.governmentattic.org/docs/FOIA_Logs_DeptHomelandSecurity_FY2004-05.pdf

The first (MDR) list doesn't give much and doesn't tell you subject. The FOIA ones are much more useful. For one, many of them are asking for information on private/commercial databases and for two, they identify which are press requests (which are given a higher priority as being in the public interest) and the reporters name. You can take than name and google for the resulting article and get a summary of what they found.

Sometimes the FOIA subject is classified and redacted. ie: they were asking for something good!

-t

tangent4ronpaul
04-14-2013, 02:50 PM
Browsing through the third log, I ran across this:

04-106 12/03/2003 06/21/2004 Anna Feygina INPUT Commercial Use 3 contracts (EME prefixes)

So what the heck is EME? There is a useful book called: Dictionary of Report Series Codes, 2nd, by Godfrey and Redman, which unfortunately is becomming rather dated as it was published in 1973. It narrowed it down to about 5 possibilities, including Laurence Livermore National Labs, however a Google of "EME report series codes" returned ARPANSA Environmental which has some reports on radiation protection standards and also Edison International which is an energy company.

The entry above it was asking for info on insider trading on 9/11. The two entries are not related.

Anyway, you might want to put that in your research bag of tricks...

-t

jct74
04-14-2013, 04:54 PM
here's more info about the show, looks like won't be solely focused on the NSA...


Fox News Reporting: Your Secret's Out

Sunday, April 14 at 9 p.m. ET

Hosted by John Roberts

Every step we take, every move we make, "Big Data" is watching us.

Our computers, phones and countless other devices are generating long trails of electronic data -- information that can be stored and analyzed who-knows-where for who-knows-what by who-knows-who.

When our lives can be retrieved at the stroke of a key, what happens to privacy? Does the government become too powerful? Could our traditional freedoms be threatened and do we care?

This weekend, Fox News delves into the world of daily data and examines stories that would have seemed entirely unconnected only a few years ago:

Government whistleblowers fretting about a mysterious new spy center in the Utah desert.

A Massachusetts teacher instructing grade-schoolers on what not to do with an iPhone.

A new breed of political operatives leading an unprecedented get-out-the-vote effort.

A California entrepreneur trying to mine data from social networking sites.

In today's world, it all ties together. And in 'Fox News Reporting: Your Secret's Out' we're connecting the dots.


http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/fox-news-reporting/2013/04/12/fox-news-reporting-your-secrets-out

jct74
04-14-2013, 06:43 PM
bump

Lindsey
04-14-2013, 07:36 PM
We got a mailer today from our state house rep, that they are holding a shredder event. Am I paranoid to think this is really a data collection event?

jct74
04-14-2013, 08:04 PM
it was pretty good but only spent maybe 1/3 of the show covering NSA. that thing that people wear around their necks at work to monitor the tone of their conversations and posture was pretty creepy, never heard of anything like that before. if someone finds a tube of the show post it here.

Stossel on now doing a show on taxes.