Secretary of State Kerry has had a long hot summer and fall

cleaning up after the NSA's massive and embarrassing spying

on allies. For the past few days he has been in Europe, where

documents have come to light showing that in a one month

period, conversations of 70 million French and 1.8 million

Dutch were recorded.

 

 

Snowden Exposes NSA Christmas Holiday Loophole! (de Volkskrant, The Netherlands)

 

"Whistleblower Snowden gave the impression in his first revelations that everything and everyone is being followed everywhere. That is not the case. ... for those who are committed to privacy, there is something remarkable in the graphs. On December 24 and December 31, the NSA tapped not one person in the Netherlands. Apparently, most spies are at home over Christmas and New Year's Eve. That would be the best time to call friends in Pakistan."

 

By Michael Persson

 

Translated By Marion Pini

 

October 22, 2013

 

The Netherlands - de Volkskrant – Original Article (Dutch)

'I demand that the present government protest spying against me - like I never did!' -- Former President Calderon LA JORNADA, MEXICO   BBC NEWS VIDEO, U.K.: Secretary Kerry Tells French on NSA: it's 'Complicated', Oct. 21, 00:00:59

They were known for months, but today the French were finally woke up startled at the surveillance figures of the U.S. National Security Agency. Dutch political parties also reacted to the figures. But the number of wiretapped Dutch still seems relatively moderate.

 

France was probably on holiday, but in late July, German weekly Der Spiegel published a graph that showed how often the NSA eavesdropped on the French between December 10, 2012 and January 8, 2013. If you add the daily bar charts, it came to about 70 million calls. Exactly the same number that now, three months later, have caused such a diplomatic fuss: Paris has called the U.S. ambassador to the carpet.

 

Boundless Informant

 

The numbers come from documents relating to NSA program Boundless Informant leaked by Edward Snowden. These show a snapshot of a month's work by the intelligence service. Der Spiegel had focused on Germany in their article, where the Americans tapped six times as many calls. The magazine added some other countries for comparison.

Posted By Worldmeets.US

 

The Netherlands also figured in the report by Der Spiegel. Here, 1.8 million calls were tapped during the same period. This is mainly about metadata - so who called whom and when. This way, networks can be constructed around persons considered suspicious by the Americans (if you include location data, you can have them dispatched via drone). Whether they were filtered based on key words is not clear. Monitoring the Internet traffic, which the NSA did do in Germany in that month, did not occur in France or the Netherlands.

 

Like Worldmeets.US on Facebook

 

 

One hundred thousand Dutch followed

 

How bad is this? If one uses six phone calls per day as a baseline, 1.8 million phone calls in thirty days amounts to 100,000 Dutch people being followed. That is a huge number of course, but strangely enough, it's less than one might have imagined. Whistleblower Snowden gave the impression in his first revelations in June that everything and everyone is being followed everywhere. That is not the case.

 

Boundless Informant graphic shows NSA wiretappers

were oddly quiescent over Christmas and New Year's

 

As for those who are committed to privacy, there is something remarkable in the graphs. On December 24 and December 31, the NSA tapped not one person in the Netherlands. Apparently, most spies are at home over Christmas and New Year's Eve. That would be the best time to call friends in Pakistan.

 

According to French newspaper Le Monde, the radio silence around the holidays last year was (partly) due to adjustments in the system.

 

SEE ALSO ON THIS:
O Globo, Brazil: NSA's 'Anti-Privacy Services' and NASA's 'Earth-Shaking
Guardian, U.K.: France Summons U.S. Envoy Over NSA Surveillance Claims
Dep Speigel, Germany: Fresh Leak: NSA Accessed Mexican President's E-mail
La Jornada, Mexico: Nations Should Quickly Heed Advice of Greenwald, Assange
Guardian, U.K.: World Editors: 'What Guardian is Doing is Important for Democracy
Guardian, U.K.: Surveillance, Democracy, Transparency - Views from Across the Globe
Guardian, U.K.: EDITORIAL: Spies and Journalism: When Worlds Collide
Izvestia, Russia: Global Call to Arms Against 'American Exceptionalism'
Huanqiu, China: Letter By Vladimir Putin Exposes 'Exceptional' American Inequality
de Volkskrant, The Netherlands: Putin's Note to Americans a Guilty Pleasure for World
Epoca, Brazil: America's 'Undemocratic' Surveillance is More Invasive than China's
Guardian, U.K.: Committee to Protect Journalists Issues Scathing Report on Obama
Guardian, U.K.: NSA Reform Under Threat by 'Business-as-Usual Brigade' - Wyden
Estadao, Brazil: Warning to Brazil Lawmakers Before Meeting with Snowden
Folha, Brazil: NSA's Great Power Challenge to Brazil
El Mundo, Spain: The U.N.'s Yearly Show Again Plays a Vital Role
Folha, Brazil: 'In His Heart,' Obama Knows Rousseff is Right about Spying
Opera Mundi, Brazil: Outraged Evo Morales Wants Obama Tried for 'Crimes Against Humanity'
Pagina Siete, Bolivia: U.S. Fears, Not Evil, Motivate Desperate Search for Snowden
El Nacional, Bolivia: Snowden: South America Must Take Stand Against Old Europe
El Universal, Venezuela: Maduro Uses Snowden Asylum to Distract Venezuelan People
El Nuevo Diario, Nicaragua: 'Imperial Nations' Mock International Law
El Nacional, Venezuela: Bienvenido to Venezuela, Double Agent Snowden!
Hoy, Ecuador: Snowden Highlights Ecuador's Decision-Making Paradox
Folha, Brazil: Dilma Postpones Her U.S. State Visit; Saves Face for Both Sides
Epoca, Brazil: President Rousseff: Snowden Documents Show U.S. Economic Espionage
Epoca, Brazil: After NSA Scandal, Brazil Seeks Reduced U.S. Control Over Internet
Carta Maior, Brazil: Invasions of Privacy and the Tools of Terror Maintenance
O Globo, Brazil: Adjusting to Our 'Brave New World' of Liberty
O Globo, Brazil: NSA Targeted Latin American 'Trade Secrets'
O Globo, Brazil: Brazil 'Gravely Concerned' Over Massive NSA Espionage
O Globo, Brazil: Leading Brazilians Condemn U.S. Surveillance Against the Nation
O Globo, Brazil: President Rousseff's U.S. State Visit Imperiled By NSA Spying
Der Spiegel, Germany: 'Follow the Money': NSA Monitors Financial World
Guardian, U.K.: Edward Snowden 'Living Incognito in Russia'
BBC News, U.K.: Reporter Glenn Greenwald to Testify at Brazil Spy Probe
Der Spiegel, Germany: iSpy: How America's NSA Accesses Smartphone Data
Estadao, Brazil: Explaining John Kerry's Shellacking in Brazil
Cuba Debate, Cuba: Castro: 'Who Was Paid to Lie' about Snowden Being Allowed in Cuba?
Jornal Do Brasil, Brazil: Chancellor Tells Kerry: 'Terminate' Spying on Brazilians
Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Russia: The Prohibitive Global Price of Poor U.S.-Russia Relations
Der Spiegel, Germany: Codename 'Apalachee': How America Spies on Europe and the U.N.
Der Spiegel, Germany: Merkel Rival Calls for Suspension of Trade Talks
Telegraph, U.K.: NSA Employees Spied on their Lovers Using Eavesdropping Program
Reuters, U.K.: Close Cameron Aides Asked Paper to Destroy Snowden Data
People's Daily, China: America Must Come to the Table on Surveillance
Guardian, U.K.: Innocent have Nothing to Fear? After Miranda, We Know Where that Leads
Guardian, U.K.: Groklaw Legal Site Shuts Over Fears of NSA E-Mail Snooping
Guardian, U.K.: 'Sending a Message': What U.S. and U.K. are Attempting to Do
Guardian, U.K.: U.S. Senators Warn NSA Privacy Breaches Just 'Tip of the Iceberg'
Der Spiegel, Germany: Merkel and the NSA: The Scandal That Will Not Die
Guardian, U.K.: Dangers All Reporters Now Face: David Miranda and Journalism
Guardian, U.K.: David Miranda's Detention a 'Betrayal of Trust and Principle'
Guardian, U.K.: 'Attempt at Intimidation Will Result in More Disclosures'
Savon Sanomat, Finland: Better For Finland that Obama Goes to Sweden
Yezhednevniy Zhurnal, Russia: Snowden: Kremlin Tool for Reducing U.S. Web Dominance
Huanqiu, China: 'United Global Front' Defeats America in Snowden Affair
Die Tageszeitung, Germany: Manning Trial: Superficial Justice to Save American Face
El Pais, Spain: Manning Verdict a Warning to Future 'Heroes of Transparency'
Izvestia, Russia: Turning Mr. Snowden into a Tool of Russian 'Soft Power'
De Morgan, Belgium: U.S.-E.U. Meeting on NSA Surveillance a 'Sham'
Der Spiegel: Three PRISMS? Parliament Seeks Clarity in NSA Espionage Scandal
ABC, Spain: Fear of Vladivostok Escape for Snowden Drives U.S. Threats Against Venezuela
Moskovskij Komsomolets, Russia: Snowden: Putin's Perfect 'Anti-Magnitisky' Weapon
Gazeta, Russia: Chapman and Snowden in: 'The Ghost of Sheremetyevo'
Izvestia, Russia: South vs. North: Snowden's Place in History is Assured
Kommersant, Russia: Snowden's Presence May Scuttle Obama's Visit to Russia
Izvestia, Russia: 'Servile Europeans' Inflict Huge Insult on Bolivians
Wiener Zeitung, Austria: Edward Snowden is No Enemy of Our State!
La Stampa: Europe Will Rue Toppling Obama Over Snowden
The Hankyoreh, South Korea: What Hugo Chavez Would Say about U.S. Surveillance
Le Monde, France: French Big Brother is Watching You!
Guardian, U.K.: The NSA's Indiscriminate Mass Spying on Brazilians
Le Monde, France: French Political Class Holds 'Outrage Contest' Over NSA Spying
DNA, France: Espionage ... From Washington, With Love
Liberation, France: The NSA 'Panopticon'
Der Standard, Austria: Mass NSA Surveillance Implies 'Bizarre Presumption of Guilt'
Guardian,U.K.: NSA/GCHQ Metadata Reassurances are 'Breathtakingly Cynical'
Observer, U.K.: U.S. Attempts to Block Edward Snowden 'Bolsters' Case for Asylum
Der Tagesspiegel, Germany: NSA: Merkel Ignores the Nightmare of 'Stasi Squared'
Der Spiegel: What's All the Fuss About U.S. Spying?
Guardian, U.K.: Britain Blocks Crucial Espionage Talks between U.S. and Europe
Guardian, U.K.: France 'runs vast electronic spying operation using NSA-style Methods'
Guardian, U.K.: Venezuela and Nicaragua offer asylum to Edward Snowden
Elsevier, The Netherlands: Snowden's Revelations are of 'No Benefit to Society'
Der Spiegel, Germany: NSA Spying on Germany: How Much Did Angela Merkel Know?
Der Spiegel, Germany Bolivia Irate Over Forced Landing
Der Spiegel, Germany: Germany Rejects Asylum for Snowden
News, Switzerland: Humanity's Cyber-Hypocrisy Overload
El Comercio, Ecuador: Wanting to Keep U.S. Trade Privileges is Not Treason!
Der Spiegel, Germany: Spying 'Out of Control': EU Official Questions Trade Negotiations
Der Spiegel, Germany: Growing Alarm: German Prosecutors To Review Allegations of U.S. Spying
Guardian, U.K.: New NSA Leaks Show how U.S. is Bugging its European Allies
Der Spiegel, Germany: Partner and Target: NSA Snoops on 500 Million German Data Connections
Diario de Noticias, Portugal: America 'Summons World' to Renewed Cold War
Guardian, U.K.: Ecuador Rejects U.S. Trade Pact to Thwart Snowden 'Blackmail'
Guardian, U.K: Glenn Greenwald on Personal Side of Taking on NSA - Personal Smears
Guardian, U.K: How NSA Continues to Harvest Your Online Data
Guardian, U.K: Edward Snowden's Next Step: Live Q&A
Gazeta, Russia: Why Russia, China, and Others, Love 'Poking America in the Eye'
Guardian, U.K.: Snowden Affair Revives Politics of the Cold War
Guardian, U.K.: 'History will be Kind' to Edward Snowden
Guardian, U.K.: Latin America is ready to defy the US over Snowden and other issues
Guardian, U.K.: Putin Confirms Snowden in Moscow Airport; No Extradition
The New York Times, U.S.: China Said to Have Made Call to Let Leaker Depart
People's Daily, China: U.S. Internet Hypocrisy Creates Global Suspicion
Global Times, China: Internet 'Muckraking Frenzy' Damaging China's Global Interests
Huanqiu, China: 'Demented' Hacking Charges Betray U.S. Scheme for Cyber Domination
Guardian, U.K.: Snowden Leaves Hong Kong for Moscow: Seeks Asylum in Ecuador
Financial Times, U.K.: Snowden Fallout Impacts China and Russia
Russia Today, Russia: VIDEO: Former MI5 Agent Judges Snowden 'Canny'
Folha, Brazil: Trust in the State Inadequate as a Pretext for NSA's Spying
Les Dernieres Nouvelles d'Alsace, France: Edward Snowden is Not the Issue
El Pais, Spain: Powerless, Europe Must Nevertheless Stand Up to NSA Spying Program
Global Times, China: Demonizing China Will Backfire on Americans
Global Times, China: Extraditing Snowden Would Be a Mistake
Xinhua, China: 'Idealistic' Edward Snowden Should be Welcomed by China
Mediapart, France: 'Autonomous Machines': World Reawakens to U.S. Web Dominance
Guardian, U.K.: Britain's GCHQ Intercepted Data from Foreign Politicians at G20 Summits
Le Monde, France: French Lawmakers Scramble Over News of NSA Surveillance
Le Temps, Switzerland: Last Resort for Confronting 'Electronic Big Brother'
The Frontier Post, Pakistan: On Global Spying for Selfish National Interest
Mediapart, France: The NSA is Spying on Us! What a Surprise!
El Espectador, Colombia: Please Consider Yourself Watched!
Le Monde, France: NSA Surveillance Storm Gathers Over Cloud Market
Folha, Brazil: Being 'Carioca' Helped Glenn Greenwald Break NSA Surveillance Story
Sol, Portugal: WikiLeaks and Facebook: What Came Before Will Soon Be Rubble
Guardian, U.K.: World Leaders Seek Answers on NSA Data Collection Programs
Guardian, U.K.: Artist Ai Weiwei: The U.S. is 'Behaving Like China'
Russia Today, Russia: Putin: Government Surveillance 'Should Not Break the Law'
Guardian, U.K.: Russia Offers to Consider Edward Snowden Asylum Request
Handelsblatt, Germany: Obama's Data Nightmare is Europe's
FAZ, Germany: Protect Us from Terrorism ... and Government Snooping
SCMP, Hong Kong: What Will Hong Kong do with Snowden? ... The World is Watching
SCMP, Hong Kong: Why Hong Kong? Chinese Wonder if Edward Snowden is in Wrong Place
Suedostschweiz, Switzerland: Exposed: Spy Powers that Obama Shouldn't Use
Le Temps, Switzerland: Exploring the Limits of Sino-U.S. Compromise
Business Day, South Africa: Obama Sets 'Dubious Example' on Freedom
Economist, U.K.: The Reason We Fear Broad Surveillance
Guardian, U.K.: The NSA's Secret Tool to Track Global Surveillance Data

 

 

CLICK HERE FOR DUTCH VERSION

blog comments powered by Disqus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted By Worldmeets.US Oct. 22, 2013, 07:24am