Google Partners with the NSA? The Same Agency That Tapped Our Phones Illegally?

Thursday, February 4th, 2010 by Andy Beal

Google Partners with the NSA? The Same Agency That Tapped Our Phones Illegally?

If you’re a government conspiracy theorist, you probably shouldn’t read this post. You won’t sleep for weeks.

The National Security Agency is rumored to be working with Google in light of the cyber attacks that reportedly came from China.

Think about that for a second. Big Brother just partnered with big brother, to try and fight off communist China.

Doesn’t that make you just feel so warm and fuzzy?

No one is publicly admitted that the NSA and Google are collaborating, but the source of the story isn’t some blogger looking for publicity, it’s The Washington Post–so there must be some smoke surrounding this alleged fire.

“The critical question is: At what level will the American public be comfortable with Google sharing information with NSA?” said Ellen McCarthy, president of the Intelligence and National Security Alliance.

Erm, I think we’re there!

While it’s unlikely that Google’s going to hand over any user information, I still don’t like how close–and how quickly–Google is snuggling up with perhaps the scariest of all government agencies. This is the same agency that tapped your phones and emails without a warrant after 9/11. We’re supposed to feel confident it won’t take a poke around Google’s sensitive data?

Don’t get me wrong, Google is of the utmost importance to the USA. We can all agree on that, right? But, I still have an uneasy feeling about it working with the NSA. Especially when it’s a relationship that even Google doesn’t want to confirm publicly!

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10 comments on “Google Partners with the NSA? The Same Agency That Tapped Our Phones Illegally?”

Rafael Marquez Says:

February 4th, 2010 at 10:11 am

My question to you is, why do you trust Google with your sensitive data? My inner Alex Jones tells me that with or without Google and the NSA joining forces, given the amount of data that they probably have, this is a bad deal for us regular citizens.
Rafael Marquez´s last blog ..Hays BOOTcamp is today!

Andy Beal Reply:
February 4th, 2010 at 10:24 am
Well, short of using a different search engine, what else do you suggest?
Emily Says:

February 4th, 2010 at 11:34 am

I love your blog, read it all the time. But I disagree with this posts. I don’t think that Google is of the utmost importance to the U.S. at all. In fact, if they no longer existed, we all WOULD switch to a different search engine and be just fine… That said, I think people THINK they need Google which is why it will never go away; people don’t like change and most of them don’t even realize what a search engine is and/or that there are even different ones to choose from… It’s such a bold statement which makes me ask, why do you think they are so important? Aside from the obvious: jobs they create, etc.

Andy Beal Reply:
February 4th, 2010 at 2:00 pm
Well, I totally understand your point of view but perception is reality, right? The US doesn’t really need GM, but we still bailed them out.
Digitivity @ The Digital Life & Tools Blog Says:

February 4th, 2010 at 12:38 pm

Well, you could use Scroogle, a site which forwards and retrieves Google searches and scrubs cookie data:
http://scroogle.org/

But if you’re truly paranoid, who’s to say the Scroogle isn’t a CIA honeypot project to attract those with something to hide?

I do agree that too much information in the hands of one company can be dangerous.
Digitivity @ The Digital Life & Tools Blog´s last blog ..After the iPad: the Google Tablet?
Christi Johnson Says:

February 4th, 2010 at 2:24 pm

i wouldn’t put it past them :-\
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