Flickr CC via Robbert Michel |
The extra scrutiny on the National Security Agency after
high profile leaks this year from former contractor Edward Snowden has dug up
more juicy gossip. This week the NSA
confirmed dozens of instances where employees spied on individuals,
particularly American citizens. More
particularly, the love interests of said employees.
Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa sent a request to the NSA
asking for records of abuse of power.
The agency submitted a dozen incidents, six of which were forwarded to
the Justice Department. None of them
resulted in charges against the individuals for spying. Only several of the dozen stories submitted
involved agents eavesdropping on their sexual partners. One employee admitted to spying on a number
she found on her husband’s cell phone to see if he was having an affair.
The senator thanked the NSA for its transparency and
cooperation. He also said that any
misuse of the agency’s power should not be overlooked. It is unclear whether new rules will be
imposed on the abilities of the National Security Agency. More than likely, congress is trying to
persuade the American people that it has the situation under control and is
helping to rebuild trust after the information leaked in June that the
government collects almost 100% of cell phone meta data and keeps it much
longer than what the law would normally allow.
The story about spying on loved ones has sprung a hashtag trend on Twitter called #NSApickuplines that feature dating puns related to spying.
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