Domestic Spying Just Got A Hell of A Lot Creepier

[GoLeft TV]

The government might have lost some of their spying authority after sections of the Patriot Act expired earlier this week, but they still have plenty of ways to gather information on American citizens.

According to a new Associated Press report, the FBI has been operating small, low-flying aircraft equipped with cameras and recording devices to gather surveillance on American citizens. The AP reports that the program has been used in Chicago, Minneapolis, Boston, Houston, Phoenix, and Seattle.

[JDPriestly]

1. So what in the world can be going on that justifies having that many surveillance planes?

Are they just peeping Toms?

Do they specialize in night flights over people's bedrooms? What's with these characters?

Are they targeting gang activity? Drug use?

They certainly are not going to discover fraud in our banking system with those things?

Of what possible use are these things if not to investigate who is meeting and talking with whom?

If it is gang activity that is in their sights, then why Seattle? Why not Los Angeles or New York City?

This makes no sense.

[Mnpaul]

2. Stingray device

they are spoofing a cell phone tower and grabbing 100% of the conversation. It would be hard to catch them at it if they are doing it on a plane. You can see the mobile towers on the ground.

I hope that Al Franken gets to the bottom of this.

[Major Nikon]

3. I've known about these planes for years

I've seen them at various airports flying in and out to conduct their missions. Some of the planes are highly modified.

[99th_Monkey]

4. This is also happening in Portland nt

[GoneFishin]

5. It's for bulk collection of phone information. There can't be so many targeted investigations

to justify this. They are just gobbling up data to cross link it with other databases then data mine it for sale, corporate espionage or black mail.

I'll just assume that whatever they are up to it is about as legitimate as rectal feeding.