Reuters: Obama Ordered Curbs on NSA Spying on UN Headquarters

As part of the review of NSA surveillance efforts
US News • Views: 23,171

Reuters reports that President Obama recently ordered the NSA to curtail electronic spying on the headquarters of the United Nations in New York.

Obama’s order is the latest known move by the White House to limit the NSA’s vast intelligence collection, in the wake of protests by allies, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, over U.S. spying on foreign heads of state.

The full extent of U.S. eavesdropping on the United Nations is not publicly known, nor is it clear whether the United States has stopped all monitoring of diplomats assigned to the U.N. in New York or elsewhere around the world.

“The United States is not conducting electronic surveillance targeting the United Nations headquarters in New York,” said a senior Obama administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

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20 comments
1 Sol Berdinowitz  Tue, Oct 29, 2013 11:29:36am

HOW DARE HE COMPROMISE NATIONAL SECURITY! THE UN IS FULL OF POTENTIAL THREATS TO THE USA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2 Feline Fearless Leader  Tue, Oct 29, 2013 11:35:20am

re: #1 Sol Berdinowitz

HOW DARE HE COMPROMISE NATIONAL SECURITY! THE UN IS FULL OF POTENTIAL THREATS TO THE USA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

US detection of sternly-worded missives has been compromised!

3 Eclectic Cyborg  Tue, Oct 29, 2013 11:35:52am

I thought it had been understood since long before even the Cold War days that most developed nations spy on most other developed nations.

4 Justanotherhuman  Tue, Oct 29, 2013 11:37:08am

Don’t any of those 4 people from Code Pink have jobs?

Protesters booted out of NSA hearing

thehill.com

5 Charles Johnson  Tue, Oct 29, 2013 11:39:12am

Now on C-SPAN 3…

6 Mattand  Tue, Oct 29, 2013 11:40:58am

I’m still trying to wrap my head around the concepts of being horrified that US spies on other countries, and that we’re the only Western nation with a spy apparatus.

7 Eclectic Cyborg  Tue, Oct 29, 2013 11:41:42am

re: #5 Charles Johnson

Now on C-SPAN 3…

[Embedded content]

You’re watching C-SPAN 8, the Ocho…

8 Feline Fearless Leader  Tue, Oct 29, 2013 11:43:01am

re: #7 Eclectic Cyborg

You’re watching C-SPAN 8, the Ocho…

If you can dodge a crowbar dropped from orbit, you can dodge a shoe!
;)

9 Justanotherhuman  Tue, Oct 29, 2013 11:43:33am

The UN spies on itself.

U.N.’s New Phone Network Vulnerable to Surveillance

ipsnews.net

UNITED NATIONS, Aug 26 2013 (IPS) - The U.S. National Security Agency’s (NSA) surveillance and telephone data collection programme has come under heavy fire for violating privacy laws, even as the U.N.’s new telephone network appears vulnerable to hackers and eavesdroppers. A five-year, 2.1-billion-dollar refurbishment of the U.N. headquarters building was aimed at modernising the 39-storey infrastructure, making it more energy efficient and technologically advanced in order to keep pace with the global digital revolution.

“As part of this process, however, the 63-year-old Secretariat has also been equipped with a sophisticated telephone network by Cisco Systems, which apparently has the capacity to collect phone data and track all incoming and outgoing calls made by staffers as well as diplomats, if they access U.N. phones in the delegates’ lounge or elsewhere in the building. (my emphasis)

“If and when the U.N. administration wants to intercept communications, it will now have the capacity to do so in violation of one’s privacy,” a U.N. source familiar with the new network told IPS.”

10 Mattand  Tue, Oct 29, 2013 11:45:34am

re: #8 Feline Fearless Leader

If you can dodge a crowbar dropped from orbit, you can dodge a shoe!
;)

I should really watch that movie all the way through…

11 Dr Lizardo  Tue, Oct 29, 2013 11:49:39am

re: #3 Eclectic Cyborg

I thought it had been understood since long before even the Cold War days that most developed nations spy on most other developed nations.

Exactly. Spying is as old as recorded human history, and likely even predates that.

12 Internet Tough Guy  Tue, Oct 29, 2013 11:51:25am

re: #4 Justanotherhuman

Fundraising off public displays Protesting injustice IS their job.

13 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 29, 2013 11:55:51am

DERP!

14 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Oct 29, 2013 11:56:28am
15 simoom  Tue, Oct 29, 2013 12:02:56pm

re: #5 Charles Johnson

16 jaunte  Tue, Oct 29, 2013 12:03:27pm

re: #13 Vicious Babushka

Can Ben Shapiro ask a question so dumb that even he can’t answer it?

17 ericblair  Tue, Oct 29, 2013 12:07:13pm

re: #9 Justanotherhuman

“As part of this process, however, the 63-year-old Secretariat has also been equipped with a sophisticated telephone network by Cisco Systems, which apparently has the capacity to collect phone data and track all incoming and outgoing calls made by staffers as well as diplomats, if they access U.N. phones in the delegates’ lounge or elsewhere in the building. (my emphasis)

“If and when the U.N. administration wants to intercept communications, it will now have the capacity to do so in violation of one’s privacy,” a U.N. source familiar with the new network told IPS.”

The “UN source” falls right into the dudebro trap. The UN is the operator of its phone network, and duh, all operators log calls and have the capacity to intercept communications.

So, if some attendee starts sexually harassing another over the phone, the “UN source” wants the UN to be unable to track the call or obtain evidence? On second thought, forget I asked.

18 geoffm33  Tue, Oct 29, 2013 12:07:30pm

re: #16 jaunte

Can Ben Shapiro ask a question so dumb that even he can’t answer it?

Unpossible!!!!

19 Bulworth  Tue, Oct 29, 2013 12:07:45pm

re: #18 geoffm33

Challenge accepted!

20 thedopefishlives  Tue, Oct 29, 2013 12:08:02pm

re: #17 ericblair

The “UN source” falls right into the dudebro trap. The UN is the operator of its phone network, and duh, all operators log calls and have the capacity to intercept communications.

So, if some attendee starts sexually harassing another over the phone, the “UN source” wants the UN to be unable to track the call or obtain evidence? On second thought, forget I asked.

In the dudebro universe, total privacy and anonymity would be possible. Criminals would never, ever, EVER abuse such a system.


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