14 DAY TRIAL // It’s taken the United States a little while, but people are finally starting to realize just how much they’re giving up by allowing the NSA to spy on everyone. According to a new survey, most Americans are now against the data collection programs.
According to a research signed by USA Today and Pew Research Center Poll, 45 percent of those interviewed believe that Snowden’s disclosures have helped public interest, while 43 percent disagree.
Furthermore, 70 percent of those who answered questions said that they shouldn’t have to give up privacy and freedom in order to be safe from terrorism, while 26 percent didn’t seem too concerned with this issue.
Since Barack Obama have also given a speech on the NSA reforms he plans to implement, there was also a question on this topic. 73 percent of those who paid attention to the speech say that his proposals won’t really make much difference in protecting people’s privacy, while 21 percent believe that there will be some good changes coming from this.
Obama has announced that the NSA won’t be allowed to store metadata anymore, which will from now on go to an unnamed third party. Furthermore, the agency will have to get a court order for any piece of information it wants, something that has upset intelligence leaders and many lawmakers who believe that this will ultimately weaken national security.
The president has also announced that the NSA will no longer monitor communications of the heads of states that are close friends and allies of the United States.
Lastly, a new panel will be put together to provide additional input into the secret court. However, they won’t always intervene, which means that the FISA court’s rubber stamp quality may not change at all.
Experts and privacy rights activists have slammed the proposed reforms, claiming that things won’t really change much and that there’s not yet any guarantee that non-US citizens will be protected.