Considering the current event oriented news about Snowden, it really shouldn’t be a big surprise for us to learn that Microsoft gave the NSA access to encrypted messages. Yup, Microsoft has been listening in on your Skype calls and reading all that sexting you’ve been doing at work. And pretty soon, they’ll have eyes in your living room.
In the files from Edward Snowden (who, by the way, has been granted asylum by Venezuela), we are given more info about Prism – the NSA’s super surveillance program. Essentially, Microsoft helped the NSA get around its encryption so that they could monitor web chats on Outlook.com, gave pre-encryption access to email, and now it appears that they have also given the NSA access to all Skype interactions.
Blanket orders from the secret surveillance court allow these communications to be collected without an individual warrant if the NSA operative has a 51% belief that the target is not a US citizen and is not on US soil at the time. Targeting US citizens does require an individual warrant, but the NSA is able to collect Americans’ communications without a warrant if the target is a foreign national located overseas.
Since Prism’s existence became public, Microsoft and the other companies listed on the NSA documents as providers have denied all knowledge of the program and insisted that the intelligence agencies do not have back doors into their systems.
[…]
But internal NSA newsletters, marked top secret, suggest the co-operation between the intelligence community and the companies is deep and ongoing.
It just makes me wonder what the plans are with the Xbox One. It will have awesome Skype interface, as Microsoft keeps telling us. It will also have a Kinect that’s strong enough to pick up on your heartbeat and the dilation of pupils. Does this mean that the NSA will be able to watch you rage at the screen when you get owned? Will they monitor your comments to see if you’re un-American or making treasonous statements? It all just seems a little too much like big brother if you ask me. Bad enough that we’re getting spied on via email and Skype – not sure I want to willingly accept the spy cam into my home. Microsoft can give plenty of assurances about privacy, but the reality is that when the NSA asks for something, they make an offer you can’t refuse.
Last Updated: July 12, 2013
Melasco
July 12, 2013 at 11:03
And back to Gtalk I go….
Argentil
July 12, 2013 at 11:18
Now known as Google Hangouts. I really hope Google improves their chat services ASAP.
The time is now.
loftie
July 12, 2013 at 12:37
hahah I still have gtalk installed. screw the new hangouts its crap. http://www.oldapps.com/google_talk.php
Umar Kiiroi Senk?
July 12, 2013 at 11:03
love conspiracy talks! #illuminati
Lord Chaos
July 12, 2013 at 11:24
Revolt!!! … Wait, did I just put that on the internet, excuse me, I need to go check if my bunker is in order.
HvR
July 12, 2013 at 11:29
You are ok as long as you are not using IE
Argentil
July 12, 2013 at 11:30
Better take the location of said bunker off Bing maps.
Umar Kiiroi Senk?
July 12, 2013 at 11:31
They are going to spy on you all in the name Anit-terrorism prevention!!
Lord Chaos
July 12, 2013 at 11:32
And just to put some more fuel to the fire: “Terrorists are what the bigger army call the smaller one.”
Umar Kiiroi Senk?
July 12, 2013 at 11:34
By smaller one they mean women and children. the war is a lie but America will go to extreme lengths to control us…KINECT is their tool!!
Brady miaau
July 12, 2013 at 11:26
I play chess with an American who is a Doctor and the biggest Conspiracy guy I know.
Trouble is, he does make sense with some of what he says. It seems possible and in some cases even likely.
For example, the one tower on 911 was detonated to collapse, yet the authorities denied it. There is a lot of evidence that points to a controlled explosions. Or is all made up!
Umar Kiiroi Senk?
July 12, 2013 at 11:29
controlled explosion, cumon, plan hits the top, bottom explodes and collapses. The Weapons of Mass Destruction is a lie!
Zoe
July 12, 2013 at 11:39
shhhhh, don’t say these things. Microsoft is listening….
Brady miaau
July 12, 2013 at 11:48
Nah, I am using a secure browser. All good.
Trust me, I know what I am doing.
Zoe
July 12, 2013 at 11:53
famous last words
OVG
July 12, 2013 at 11:48
Not if you miss your monthly XBOX LIVE payment. Tee hee hee.
Eric Viljoen
July 12, 2013 at 11:34
Did you watch it?
Umar Kiiroi Senk?
July 12, 2013 at 11:35
watch what?
Eric Viljoen
July 12, 2013 at 13:02
Attack on Titan
Umar Kiiroi Senk?
July 12, 2013 at 13:56
Ahhh, YES 🙂 Holy krap!!! It’s intense, Eren’s poor mum 🙁 only watched two eps but hot damn it’s good as F**k
John Ambitious
July 12, 2013 at 11:51
Want to see something crazy? Speaking of conspiracy.
Open a new tab, type www. (illuminati in reverse) .com
Umar Kiiroi Senk?
July 12, 2013 at 11:53
Lol that is very easy to do though. but funny enough I believe NSA is the NWO!
stark crazy
July 23, 2013 at 23:18
try to say it backwards a few times it starts to sound like its a new “mulli” as in millennium
Vampyre Squirrel
July 12, 2013 at 11:14
that poor cat…
Captain Minion TallTwit
July 12, 2013 at 11:15
LOL I know!
Trevor Davies
July 12, 2013 at 11:15
It’s not tinfoil hat territory if it’s true!
Vampyre Squirrel
July 12, 2013 at 11:15
Talking of cats… would the Kinect 2 be able to pick your animals up as additional viewers?
Argentil
July 12, 2013 at 11:22
Kinect has detected a surplus of 3 cats in the residence of this female consumer. Advertising scheme switched to: Cat lady mode. Now marketing Häagen-Dazs, home and lifestyle channels, romance novels.
HvR
July 12, 2013 at 11:23
LOL Haagen-Dazs, always wondered who their target market was
Brady miaau
July 12, 2013 at 11:47
my wife? on occasion.
Zoe
July 12, 2013 at 11:48
oh good, one cat shy of a marketing shift. although i do love some cookies and cream from haagen-dazs
Argentil
July 12, 2013 at 11:50
Haha! If a man is detected, it lowers the threshold, don’t worry!
Brady miaau
July 12, 2013 at 11:24
Yeah, that would be awesome. We must make it as boring for them as possible, and cats can outstare like anything.
Dean
July 12, 2013 at 11:16
Tinfoil hat? No, this requires a tinfoil sombrero!
Vampyre Squirrel
July 12, 2013 at 11:18
Like this?
http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4142/4830825458_36c9ab01de_z.jpg
Dean
July 12, 2013 at 11:21
Let the Men in Black try and find him now.
HvR
July 12, 2013 at 11:22
Look for the shiniest spot on the spy satellite photo.
Dean
July 12, 2013 at 11:24
That shiny thing is Steve Ballmer’s head. This old man is smarter than that, the sombrero proves it.
Zoe
July 12, 2013 at 11:21
lol, damn – you beat me to it!
Vampyre Squirrel
July 12, 2013 at 11:24
There’s always this one…
Argentil
July 12, 2013 at 11:26
Well played, parent. Those nasty democrats/space gestapo/ET’s/immigrants won’t be warping the brain of this child.
HvR
July 12, 2013 at 11:32
They are all amateurs, these guys know what they are doing and they are doing it in style
OVG
July 12, 2013 at 11:42
My Mercury fillings are rattling… MAKE IT STOP 🙁
Dean
July 12, 2013 at 12:01
Tinfoil, by Gucci
OVG
July 12, 2013 at 11:34
WIN
OVG
July 12, 2013 at 11:35
LOOK INTO MY EYES
Kromas
July 12, 2013 at 11:19
I can just see a happy group of drunk friends sitting around the xbone and cracking jokes about 911 or something. BOOM!!! your house gets blown up.
OVG
July 12, 2013 at 11:20
LIVE and PSN is the same thing. Mass Effect 3 was crafted from all the Data mining of 2.
Sure, now they can do it via audio and vision. Microsoft was already called out for hijacking peoples Skype conversations.
The future is BORG.
Ultimo_Cleric N7
July 12, 2013 at 11:22
Love everything you said. Except the ME3 comment. Dont rip off my favourite game…..I will cut you….. :-p
^^
OVG
July 12, 2013 at 11:24
http://www.neowin.net/news/bioware-reveals-mass-effect-2-player-stats
Ultimo_Cleric N7
July 12, 2013 at 11:28
NOT LISTENING.
OVG
July 12, 2013 at 11:30
LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA
Ultimo_Cleric N7
July 12, 2013 at 11:20
I FRIGGIN TOLD YOU THE KINECT WAS SKYNET! There were a few people who ripped me off for commenting that the Kinect was potentially a dodgy option, but I was accused of being a PS fanboy.
Argentil
July 12, 2013 at 11:51
I remember that. Shared memory, we’re like friends now. Yay.
CaptainNemo42
July 12, 2013 at 11:53
SHUDDUP FANBOI!
Ultimo_Cleric N7
July 12, 2013 at 12:14
NEEEVEEEERRR!!!!!!!
John Ambitious
July 12, 2013 at 11:54
Nah. There’s already a Skynet in South Africa and they’re a delivery company. The worst that could happen when they get self aware is deliver you the wrong stuff on purpose
Ultimo_Cleric N7
July 12, 2013 at 12:14
hahaha!! brilliant!
Sting-Ray
July 12, 2013 at 12:11
Microsoft Skype Network. MS Skynet. it’s here…
Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
July 12, 2013 at 11:22
Dafuq 0_o
Brady miaau
July 12, 2013 at 11:23
Wait, is this the one where the pigs take over?
And the pigs get the good food (beds, whatever), because all are equal?
Could be!
Dystopian future may be as fun to live in as to play games in
Admiral Chief Groot Wors
July 12, 2013 at 11:24
One more reason not to get it
Unavengedavo
July 12, 2013 at 11:33
So what happens when you play a game like Counter Strike?
Lord Chaos
July 12, 2013 at 11:34
Illumi-Room becomes a hell of a lot more realistic.
HvR
July 12, 2013 at 11:35
Depends are you counter terrorist or terrorist?
Unavengedavo
July 12, 2013 at 11:42
Hey NSA
http://www.arwrath.com/content/1/115456.gif
HvR
July 12, 2013 at 11:44
Enjoy your sandwich with extra mayo at Gaut Bay
John Ambitious
July 12, 2013 at 11:46
I’ve got a few things I’m sure they wouldn’t want to see. Now who wants to start taking bets for getting an MS employee to throw up first?
Lord Chaos
July 12, 2013 at 11:48
Challenge accepted.
BacchusZA
July 12, 2013 at 11:53
I’ll just change from watching porn on my PC to watching it in the lounge, from the comfort of my couch, on my XBox One. With the kinect on the coffee table, right in front of me.
You hear that, NSA?
Right. In. Front. Of. Me.
Don’t tell me I didn’t warn you 🙂
Argentil
July 12, 2013 at 12:11
Next thing you know you’re registered as a potential sex offender on their systems for displaying perverse and exhibitionist tendencies.
OVG
July 12, 2013 at 11:55
I told you all 2 years ago that the Kinect was nothing more than a Trojan Horse for spying. Now that the Kinect 2 is mandatory, the proof is in the pudding.
http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2013/07/11/report-microsoft-collaborated-to-deliver-encrypted-user-data-to-nsa.aspx
John Ambitious
July 12, 2013 at 11:57
Well done.
But now for a real challenge….
Could you tell me whether I’m going to be famous?
DBL_ZA
July 12, 2013 at 11:59
How to become famous:
1) Buy an XBOX one
2) Get really angry at getting pwnd
3) Throw some anti-American comments in your fit of rage (preferably include something about blowing up something or other in America)
4) Ride the wave of fame into prison
OVG
July 12, 2013 at 12:06
8 years apparently.
Zoe
July 12, 2013 at 12:07
only if you actually get a trial. otherwise you can get a beautiful orange jumpsuit in cuba 😉
OVG
July 12, 2013 at 12:09
Shit… No XBOX LIVE in Cuba 🙁
HvR
July 12, 2013 at 12:16
jip offline so only 360, better deal with it
OVG
July 12, 2013 at 12:23
I suppose the only LIVE in Cuba are the two wires attached to your balls during the interrogation process by the Anti Micro Troll squad.
OVG
July 12, 2013 at 12:00
NO. Thanks to the internet making everybody famous via user generated content.
Unless you sing a song about Tuesday you should beat Rebbecca Black in sales as nobody has done Tuesday. People do not even have sex on a Tuesday.
Pointless day really.
Lord Chaos
July 12, 2013 at 12:02
Heyyyy!!! Tuesday was my B-day, and it was awesome.
Unavengedavo
July 12, 2013 at 12:02
Did you have Birthday sex on a Tuesday?
Lord Chaos
July 12, 2013 at 12:03
Of course I did, on the couch, in front of the Kinect.
OVG
July 12, 2013 at 12:06
Did it turn off when she told you to GO HOME 😛
Lord Chaos
July 12, 2013 at 12:17
Lol, nope, although it did make these strange glitchy noises.
John Ambitious
July 12, 2013 at 12:30
That’s quite true. I don’t even have Tuesday pants
Scratchy
July 12, 2013 at 14:47
If you’re not conducting terrorist-y business, I don’t see why you should be so concerned about it? Are you really worried that Microsoft is going to watch you play in you jocks? If they want to watch me frag a noob in my birthday suit, that’s their problem
Zoe
July 13, 2013 at 11:40
not doing things that are defined as terrorist-y activities, but the implications of this are far reaching. first step towards a “brave new world” or “1984” situation.