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Comment by josh2600 | Hacker News Reader

The title of this article would suggest that there is a delta between where we are now and where we are after the bill. Is there a material difference in the way NSA will behave after the bill? Are surveillance powers any weaker if they can still query CDRs from operators?

Isn't this, on some level, a subsidy to ATT, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint?

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Well before this bill (yesturday) bulk collection of phone data was illegal. Now it is legal.

At least now we get to see the invoice. Don't imagine that Room 641A was set up for free.

I actually wouldn't be surprised if it were.

"Hey $ATT_EXECUTIVE - see what happened to [Qwest's CEO] Joe Nacchio? Good. Now go splice me some fiber or you'll be joining him."

I would be surprised. Both Ma Bell and the clandestine service are always looking for ways to move more money in more directions. A typical scenario: from NSA to some secret shell company, from there to ATT for the project, from there to a favored systems integrator to run the project, from there to the agent-in-charge's nephew for unspecified services, from there back to the shell company, etc.

The penalty would probably be worse if a commercial company did work for free for the government. It's a big no-no. You can't even give government employees things like lunch during a working lunch meeting unless it's a low enough amount and they provide some way for the govies to optionally pay.

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