The nsa only collects information I send them over the internet via us-based services. I live outside the US.
The NSA are interested in any and all sources of information, and probably collect just as much or more of it from foreign sources than domestic ones.
Yes, the recent media hoopla has been over the NSA collecting information on Americans in America. But that does not mean that the NSA is limited to collecting information in America. Quite the contrary. Historically, they have been more about collecting foreign intelligence abroad (ie. spying on the rest of the world).
This reminds me of a quote: "You have a choice: you can live under US domestic policy or US foreign policy". If you think you're safe or exempt under either of them, you might have some surprises in store for you.
I'd imagine using zero days to crack into foreign companies would only be for the most specific of information, making them theoretically safer from general abuse.
No. They could simply ask for the data, without any compulsion. Most companies are only too happy to help, and will bend right over -- especially after whoever the boogieman of the day is has appeared on the news lately. They wouldn't want to be seen as not doing thier utmost to help fight the good fight.
Compulsion is the second easiest and second most legal way. This way is also politically, legally and psychologically desirable for them, because they would like to push the envelope of what is considered legitimate surveillance.
Apart from asking and compelling companies, they could just tap the fiber, or use other direct and indirect methods of surveillance. This is really what they do best, and what their original and primary mission has always been: mostly to spy on foreign governments and their agents. After all, the NSA isn't going to get very far asking or trying to compel China to give them a tap in to their data centers. So they'll have to find some other way to do it. And if you think they're going to have a hard time doing it in their own back yard as compared to a hostile country, you might want to reconsider.
Americans get, please don't laugh, protection from their own government. The rest of us are at the mercy of their whims.
The trouble is, in the old days they, well, we all spied on people we had good reason to spy on. "Suspects", if you will. Now they spy on every one they can, in the hope of finding suspects.... to spy more on.
If anything, these revelation prove that our default status to the authorities is "suspect". And we remain a suspect until we die.
And don't go away with the notion that this is all evil America. They just have the resources to do what every other government wants to do, which is why most of them, that can, are doing deals with the US.
Here in the UK, our government (right), like our last government(left), are lapping it up and only to willing to get in to bed with this. They use the same scare tactics, and the evil language of the con man. Nothing to hide? And so on. Before we have a go at the Americans, we need to make it perfectly clear that this is unacceptable in our country, stop it here, and end the endorsement and participation in what the US government is up to. Only then do we have any right to point fingers at the US. Wont happen. Most people simply dont care. Even the satire lot seem happy with it. Yeah, even the comedians are on board.
Honestly, I no longer want part of this world society we are sleep walking in to. Its a disgusting disgrace.
Global system....
2. The NSA is not at all alone among national agencies tapping into their own country's tubes.