A few days ago, a new unprecedented scandal came to light, according to which the biggest internet giants such as Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Yahoo, Apple, etc. are required to share data about their users' electronic communications with the NSA and the FBI based on the secret program PRISM.
Such scenarios have been circulating for many years, but for the first time in public, tentative evidence has been given that US security services derive mass information from the servers of the aforementioned companies.
The attitude of Google
While initially - like most companies - Google denied the existence of any agreement with them two government agencies, later changed tack and decided to speak directly about how it provides access to its users' data.
According to company spokesman Chris Gaither, the search giant does not provide direct access to its servers but has a dedicated dropbox server for the NSA where files are transferred via FTP, while more rarely printed and delivered by hand. -hand.
Google then asked US Attorney General Eric Holder and FBI Director Robert Mueller to let her make public all the government mandates about the PRISM secret program. As she mentions in her letter, her purpose is to clarify to the public that her involvement is not as great as the reports so far.
Who is PRISM?
It can PRISM related to communications within the US, but this does not mean that it is an American affair and does not concern Europe. After all, as long as we use services of American origin and communicate with US residents, we can in no way assume that we remain unaffected.
Προκειμένου να ξεκαθαρίσει το θολό τοπίο, η Ευρωπαία Επίτροπος Viviane Reding ζήτησε διευκρινίσεις σχετικά με το PRISM και άλλα τυχόν “μυστικά” προγράμματα monitoringς μέσα από επιστολή που απέστειλε στον Eric Holder. Ανάμεσα στα ερωτήματα που έθιξε ήταν αν το πρόγραμμα στοχεύει και σε πολίτες της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης, σε τι είδους δεδομένα έχουν πρόσβαση οι αμερικανικές αρχές και πώς μπορεί κανείς να αποτρέψει την παρακολούθηση των επικοινωνιών του. Η Ευρωπαία Επίτροπος αναμένεται να συναντηθεί εντός των ημερών με τον Eric Holder στο Δουβλίνο για να συζητήσουν από κοντά όλα αυτά τα καίρια ζητήματα.
After all, in addition to the USA, there are many countries that ask the technology companies to provide them with data about their users, with the UK, France, the Germany, την Τουρκία και τις υπόλοιπες χώρες που παρατίθενται στην παρακάτω λίστα:
On the other hand, there is little and the EU members reacting to PRISM saying they are against their legislation and asking the European Commission to mediate, first and foremost, Finland.
What does it matter if I do not have something to hide?
Some may wonder why PRISM can do so badly if you do not have something to hide. The point is that everyone has something to hide even if it is not about a criminal or terrorist act and should be an inalienable right to be able to protect his privacy and personal data. In other words, even if you do not have something to hide and never deal with your phone conversations, messages and emails, you should live with the thought that this can happen at any time.
Who benefits from PRISM?
It is obvious that those that benefit mainly are encryption companies, as users now perceive the risk and turn to their products. Companies like Silent Circle, GNUPG, and Cryptocat provide end-to-end encryption, which means that in order to gain access to your data, you will need to request it directly from yourself.
How can I protect my data?
Unfortunately if you want to keep your data safe you will have to forget about smartphone conversations, Google searches, Facebook visits, Skype, YouTube, Gmail, Yahoo Mail and Google Drive and look for other less common alternatives. Otherwise, we will have to hope that the reactions of more than 85 major organizations and the vast majority of ordinary users will prove capable of ending the secret US surveillance program.
Source: techgear.gr
