Drip, Drip, Drip

[A] document provided by the former NSA contractor Edward Snowden exposes NSA activity in monitoring an American law firm at a time when it was representing the Indonesian government during its trade talks with counterparts from the US.

[...]

[T]he document did not specify which trade case was being monitored by Australian intelligence through the so-called Five Eyes network .

[...]

The intelligence report Australia offered to share could contain “information covered by attorney-client privilege,” the spying agency warned the NSA liaison office in Canberra. Upon receiving guidelines from NSA general counsel’s office, the Australian agency has been encouraged to continue their surveillance of the talks “providing highly useful intelligence for interested US customers.”

  RT

Obviously, attorney-client privilege extends only to the walls of the NSA, and not within them.

US intelligence officials have repeatedly claimed the NSA is not targeting American citizens and businesses without a warrant and not using its Five Eyes international network as a loophole.

And we are never allowed to challenge their claims. State secrets. National security.

The Australian Defense Force public affairs office maintains that all intelligence is collected under strict legal guidelines and is vital for supporting national interests, echoing the US officials’ narrative. Meanwhile, the NSA when reached by the New York times about the new leaks “declined to answer questions.”

The NYT article.

During a joint press conference with French President Francois Hollande, Obama was asked whether his selection of France for the first state visit of his second term as president signalled a post-spying agreement with America’s European ally.

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The US government “will continue to gather information about the intentions” of foreign governments, Obama said. Yet he also promised the NSA “will not monitor the communications of heads of state” atop the ranks of allied partners unless there are compelling national security purposes at stake.

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“Following the revelations that appeared due to Snowden, we clarified things, Mr. Obama and myself, we clarified things. And then this was in the past,” Hollande added. “Mutual trust has been restored.”

Hollande’s restored faith in the Franco-American alliance comes just in time for Tuesday night’s state dinner at the White House. Included on the guest list for Tuesday’s banquet honoring Hollande is NSA Director Keith Alexander.

[...]

There has been no indication to date that Hollande was the target of any NSA spying.

  RT

So the French aren’t cheese eating monkeys any more? Merkel and Roussef weren’t good choices for a state dinner at this time. Let’s see what new revelations come from the Snowden documents now.

Federal regulators are beginning to scrutinize retailers that secretly track the movements of customers in their stores.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is holding an event this week to explore the growing use of commercial surveillance, which often happens without customers' knowledge.

  The Hill

Because that is just wrong. When someone other than the government is doing it.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.