Technology Emboldened the NSA -- Wall Street Journal
Advances in Computer, Software Paved Way for Government's Data Dragnet
WASHINGTON—Key advances in computing and software in recent years opened the door for the National Security Agency to analyze far larger volumes of phone, Internet and financial data to search for terrorist attacks, paving the way for the programs now generating controversy.
On Sunday, a self-described whistleblower who had worked for a major NSA contractor said the technical breadth of the surveillance program prompted him to disclose details about it in the hopes of sparking a debate over U.S. policies.
Edward Snowden, 29, identified himself as the source of leaked documents that brought fresh scrutiny of the government's intelligence gathering. He told the Guardian newspaper, which published articles based on his accounts, that he had grown concerned about how "massive and invasive the system has become."
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My Comment: One can only imagine what another decade or two of new advances in computers and software can bring to the NSA. In short .... we are probably at the cusp of a new age where issues of privacy will simply be a thing of the past.