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Comment by nateabele | Hacker News Reader

"We are not collecting [geolocation] data," Inglis said, "under this program." (emphasis added)

Not to mention "collection" seems to be used to describe the act of an analyst using the data, not storing it for future use[1]. I interpreted this quote as, "We are not currently using geolocation data, just storing it for future use".

[1] Based off Clapper's explanation, "To me, collection of a U.S. person's data would mean taking the books off the shelf, opening it up and reading it"[2]

[2] http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/intel-dir-james-clapper-lie-c... (couldn't find a better source).

How can we refute the NSA's policies when they change definitions of words? If we attack "collection" then they redefine it as analysts' having queried for the data, but what about when we attack "storage"? Would they redefine how data is "in storage" to include only when it's stored in a web browser cache (for example)?

What do they call it when data is re-routed to their data centers for indexing and storage?

Normal operation of the Internet backbone.

> How can we refute the NSA's policies when they change definitions of words?

Incorporate by reference an introduction to formal logic into the NSA Policy Manual and Employee Handbook? :-)

I think you missed the "under this program" part. You can basically hear him winking at the end of that.

> "We are not collecting [geolocation] data," Inglis said, "under this program." (emphasis added)

The very first question that comes to mind when I read that quote is:

Well, then, under what other program are you collecting geolocation data.

The answer implies the possibility that they are in fact collecting geo. data, just not as part of this program, so the answer is technically truthful, while also being fully deceptive.

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