Are we being monitored by Echelon at this very moment?

Answer 1

Echelon only monitors communications outside the US. There are several US laws and EO's that specify the (very strict) limits on intelligence gathering inside the US.

Without going into a several hour class - here are examples of when an intelligence service can 'collect' inside the US:

1) When the target either has or has applied for a US government security clearance.

2) When the target is a not a US resident - somebody inside the US who has demonstrated an intent to live permanently in the US counts. (So even illegal immigrants are protected.)

3) When there is evidence that connects the target to foreign intelligence agencies, terrorist organizations or international drug trafficking. (Generally this monitoring will be handed over to the FBI the next business day as it is now a criminal investigation.)

Answer 2

I think you may have the Echelon thing misunderstood. First of all, we dont know the scope of which such a system works, but we do know that it monitors certiain media (internet, phone, etc) AFTER certain criteria have been met. If you started posting emails about nuclear warfare, my guess is that would throw up a red flag...AS IT SHOULD! But normal every day conversation and emails--no. We dont have the staff nor the inclination to listen to everthing.

Answer 3

Yes, we are.

The NSA is mandated to monitor "signal intelligence", which refers to any signal passing through the air. The NSA is not allowed any other medium--landlines are the purview of the FBI and CIA, and the NSA has to have permission from them to tap into landlines anywhere in the world.

Since cell phone signals are not encrypted, they can be monitored at any time by anyone who has the equipment to break down the digital signal, and that includes the NSA.

While I was in the Navy, I worked on communication equipment that used a similar signal architecture, and we used to listen to cell phone calls once in awhile in the San Diego area (that was around 1998-2000, and it was never authorized, to be honest--we were bored).

The only boon I can grant you is that the NSA has not set up listening posts throughout the US. They would basically have to have several in every major city in order for Echelon to bank all of our calls. Their interests lie throughout the world and surveillance units and listening posts are set up at key positions around the world to serve their mandate.

(My understanding of the segregation of duties of the agencies is that the NSA has not equipped itself significantly to tap land lines since the FBI and CIA serve this area. That would mean that e-mails, web-logs and even international electronic traffic are not monitored by them regularly but only under specific requests for specific traffic.)

Answer 4

I hope there not monitering me because ifn they were found out im sure the British government wouldnt be happy at all. May involve some espinage of our own and as everyone knows, british spies are the best in the world.

And i dont mean Bond, James Bond

Answer 5

Probably. Does this sound like a sensible use of resources considering our porous border with Mexico, that any terrorist can walk across?

Answer 6

Only if you're a freedom loving American, nothing scares our government more.

Answer 7

I'd be surprised if we were NOT.

Answer 8

if you think so

Answer 9

are we??