FBI Widens Use of National Security Letters

An anonymous reader writes "The Washington Post reports that the FBI has drastically increased its use of National Security Letters (NSL), which permit it to collect information without judicial oversight. According to the article, the use of NSLs is up by a factor of 100, and the records are kept forever (in the past they were thrown away if the subject was cleared). Deep in the article, the author reports that NSLs were used to collect records '[...] of every hotel guest, everyone who rented a car or truck, every lease on a storage space, and every airplane passenger who landed in [Las Vegas]' for a two week period, in response to a terrorism threat in 2003. Those records, apparently, will be kept forever by the federal government. There's an ombudsman, and a procedure to resolve complaints, but the mere existence of an NSL is secret, so it's not clear how anyone can complain!

Ombudsman?

[TheSpoom]

Man, I want THAT job.

Person: Are you the ombudsman for National Security Letters?

Me: Yes.

Person: I'd like to complain about the FBI's issuance of one against me. I was cleared and they're now storing all my personal information forever.

Me: Sir, you're not supposed to know about that.

Person: But I...

Me: I'm afraid you're now a threat to National Security.

Person: Wait, what the... No, I'm an innocent man! I'M INNOCENT DAMN-*gunshots* *silence*

Me: I love my job.

Future's so bright, gotta wear shades!

[lotusleaf]

Just track everyone: Piggy back RFID/GPS chips on every sperm that swims

Three words...

[Chickenofbristol55]

Double edged sword.

One the one hand it's useful, but on the other it contradicts our constitutuion. Man I love polidicks[sic].

In unrelated news

[Anonymous Coward]

In unrelated news, the price of Aluminium today is up by a factor of 100.
"I don't know why people are buying so much metal, but it's great for business!" says one happy new investor.

Slashdot post...

[G3ckoG33k]

Well, I would imagine that just by posting to Slashdot you are registered 'for all eternity' in some federal register. So, what's your point?

Translation into American

[OzPeter]

In unrelated news, the price of Aluminum today is up by a factor of 100.

Damn those slashdot editors .. can't even trust them to correct^h^h^h^h^h^h^hchange the spelling of Anonymous cowards even

you've never been to Alpha Centauri?

[swissfondue]

"There's an ombudsman, and a procedure to resolve complaints, but the mere existence of an NSL is secret, so it's not clear how anyone can complain!"

I eventually had to go down to the cellar. With a torch. The notice was on display at the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying "beware of the leopard".

Re:Ombudsman?

[Anonymous Coward]

Well, slap a "Mission Accomplished" sign on that sucker.

Allow me to explain the plan:

[Elrac]

1. Make prostitution and the solicitation thereof illegal everywhere except in one state
2. Keep complete records of the activities of everyone who goes to that state
3. Have records on hand to blackmail anyone who wants to get his rocks off safely, legally and without emotional issues
4. Take your pick of:
   • Political ammunition
   • Criminalization
   • Slander;
     or that all-time favorite,
   • Profit!

Laws in America are like...

[arpk4n3]

- Yellow road signs - Marriage fidelity - Nutrition information on the label - The 10 Commandments - Speed limits ...merely "suggestions"

You know, there is a limit.

[jmichaelg]

Before folks get all riled up just remember, there is a limit here. Heck, F.B.I uses three letters and NSL uses another three leaving a total of 20. At the rate they're going, they'll be out of letters in no time at all.