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by HCIdivision17 4752 days ago
I think the point is that "protecting the children" is one of the few things that are an easy fight politically. The rules over gathering data on children are fairly strict, and could be a fine technicality to enforce a moratorium on the wide surveillance. They may not be lawful, but bureaucracies are notorious for being susceptible to goofy policy enforcement. (One could joke they answer to a higher authority that way.)

Of course, they also have the option to say fear is worse, enact special complicated safeguards that filter out children, or any number of other weasel work-arounds. But it's something, at least.
2 comments
cheald 4752 days ago
Given that the NSA has been willing to violate the Constitution, which is literally the highest law of the land, what makes you think they care at all about a few pesky child protection rules?

It's like paying attention to the speed limit while mowing down pedestrians in your car.

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drivebyacct2 4752 days ago
Right, I get that. But my point is thus:

First, who cares? Honestly, of all the things I'm upset about, pretty much the bottom of the list is "pictures from Tor get mirrored in an NSA facility". The "terrible" things about child porn come from it's production, distribution and sale. None of those things are happening by it getting picked up in a dragnet and put on a HD. No one's going to be motivated to stop the government over CP if they haven't over privacy.

Second, child porn is bad. But do we really have to take their bullshit strategy of "OHMHYGOD THE CHILDREN!?" when "OH MY GOD, ANY SENSE OF PRIVACY?" should suffice?

tltltl;dr: If a "legal technicality" were going to trip up the NSA, it ought to be the Fourth Amendment.

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cavilling_elite 4751 days ago
I didn't take it personal :)

I completely agree that "the children" is a minor blip in the entire program, but it is a blip that has a lot of emotional response attached to it.

I again agree that current laws can't even compare to something of this scale. But laws about minors and their entrapment or protection might be enough to waken the laymen on this apparent abuse of power.

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