14 DAY TRIAL // The US National Security Agency (NSA) says that the state-of-the-art datacenter it’s building in Utah will be used to support cybersecurity, but it will not be utilized to illegally spy on US citizens.
According to Reuters, the NSA names the recent rumors as being “unfounded allegations,” noting that one of the biggest misconceptions about the agency is that it listens in on phone calls and reads the emails of US citizens.
The security agency highlights the fact that all the operations that will take place in the new datacenter – which is expected to be completed in September – will be in accordance with US legislation.
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 dictates that the NSA needs a warrant from a three-judge court to spy on citizens.
Only in certain conditions the agency is allowed to monitor phone calls without requiring a warrant, as per the executive order issued by former President George W. Bush after the 9/11 incident.