What Does Uncle Sam Pay to Read Your E-Mail?
EmailIf you cringe when your read your monthly Internet or phone bill, take heart: Uncle Sam probably does too. According to an internal Comcast cable company document, the giant cable-Internet-phone provider charges the government $1,000 nearly every time the FBI or other intelligence or law enforcement agency wants to surveil a person’s e-mail or digital phone account. Comcast provides cable-based communications service to millions of Americans. A company spokeswoman told ABC News "our first priority is our customers’ privacy, but we want to balance that with the legitimate needs of law enforcement." THE BLOTTER RECOMMENDS Nightline Video The NSA Whistle-blower Blotter Whistle-blower Had to Fight NSA, LA Times to Tell Story Click Here for Full Blotter Coverage On top of its "start-up" fee, Comcast charges state and federal authorities $750 a month to maintain electronic surveillance, according to the document, which was obtained by the nonprofit Secrecy News Web site. The fees are charged for nearly all law enforcement or intelligence surveillance requests. In cases involving child exploitation, Comcast waives the fees, the document states. In addition to those surveillance services, Comcast can also provide state and federal authorities with customer billing information for a fee, according to the 35-page document, entitled "Law Enforcement Handbook." The company strives to respond "within eight to ten days" to government requests, the handbook states. Depending on the type of information an agency wants, it can submit a letter of request, a criminal warrant, obtain a court order, submit a secret intelligence warrant or use a controversial "National Security Letter," according to the handbook. The document sheds light on the quiet cooperation some communications companies give government authorities, at a time when aspects of that relationship are coming under fire. Communications companies are required by law to provide law enforcement access to customer information and records that are needed for criminal investigations, as well as for certain intelligence operations. The Democrat-led Congress, however, is turning up the heat on the Bush administration and major telecommunications carriers for a domestic spying operation involving phone and Internet customers that many people, including former Justice Department officials, believe operated outside the law. Little is known about the effort, which the White House has since named the "Terrorist Surveillance Program," other than that it apparently involved the super-secret National Security Agency (NSA) and carriers like AT&T and Verizon, which provided the government with customers’ phone records. Congressional leaders have said the Bush administration has steadfastly refused to provide details on the program, although the White House has said it had "fully briefed" them. In letters to Congress released yesterday, carriers AT&T, Verizon and Qwest declined to discuss the program. Qwest has previously stated it declined to participate in the program, despite overtures from the administration. There have been no reports that Comcast, which provides digital phone service to 3.5 million people, has been involved in the TSP. The Comcast handbook, dated September 2007 and stamped "Comcast Confidential," does not say how many requests for surveillance assistance Comcast has received. Do you have a tip for Brian Ross and the Investigative Team?
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Welcome to the new Amerikkka. Liberties? We don’t need no stinkin’ liberties.
Posted by: Tom | October 16, 2007, 11:53 am 11:53 am
Big Brother is here. The more control the government has, the less freedoms we have. Does nobody care about American rights anymore?
Posted by: VeteranD | October 16, 2007, 12:06 pm 12:06 pm
And as taxpayers…we pay the fees for the government to spy on us…it costs them nothing !! The circle of life sometimes sucks Simba.
Posted by: Doug | October 16, 2007, 12:26 pm 12:26 pm
none
Posted by: deborah seligman | October 16, 2007, 12:29 pm 12:29 pm
They don’t care, we are paying for it in taxes anyway! The thing is, the more they look, the more they pry, the more they stomp on our freedoms the more homeland terrorist they are going to find. Because they are causing citizens to really feel like the promise of America doesn’t exist anymore.
Posted by: aboe | October 16, 2007, 12:31 pm 12:31 pm
So then if there getting all this money from the Government, why does my basic cable bill keep going up? Same 13 channels, but in 6 years the bill has gone up $4.00 yet I still only get 13 channels.
Posted by: TimTom | October 16, 2007, 12:41 pm 12:41 pm
Looks like the Constitution has been set ablaze by fear and paranoia. Too many people sit idle while we destroy the foundations of Democracy while at the same time praising Bush for keeping us “safe.” Maybe we don’t deserve such a beautiful document as the Constitution. The American dream is dead.
Posted by: Brent | October 16, 2007, 12:50 pm 12:50 pm
If the govt pays THAT much to read MY email, then I’ll have to send a letter of apology because any emails I recieve are usually full of spam and the ones I send are increasingly boring.
Posted by: Michele | October 16, 2007, 1:09 pm 1:09 pm
Rights? The only rights we’ll ever get from now on are the “Last rights” from a priest!
Posted by: Anonymous | October 16, 2007, 1:13 pm 1:13 pm
America, land of the free? What rights? Big Brother is watching all of us.
Posted by: Michael Chlanda | October 16, 2007, 1:19 pm 1:19 pm
I love how monitoring Americans has become a profit-making arm of Comcast. I don’t know if they keep this money, but it should be donated to non-partisan, worthy causes.
Posted by: Sam G | October 16, 2007, 1:24 pm 1:24 pm
Of course they keep the money!Heavan forbid they give away free money.Our bills go up as these companies add more HD.Even if you dont want it,you pay for it.But my opinion of why this is all sounding like a book I read back in 1984
Posted by: whistlebeforedawn | October 16, 2007, 1:46 pm 1:46 pm
What????? The government is looking at our email??? They can’t find Osama? They can’t balance a budget??? Boy, I am shocked!! (sarcastic)
Posted by: John | October 16, 2007, 2:00 pm 2:00 pm
Big Brother is watching in many ways and it gets more expencive. Want to know more about what is going on? Most ppl would not belive the things big brother wants.
Posted by: Greg | October 16, 2007, 2:18 pm 2:18 pm
hey, this is a republican government. They privatized the Army and the Iraqi war to the tune of billions and now they are privatizing law enforcement.
Just remember 1-20-09 when they get privatized.
Posted by: ntsc | October 16, 2007, 2:20 pm 2:20 pm
“Those Who Would Sacrifice Liberty for Security Deserve Neither.” -Franklin
Posted by: DonD | October 16, 2007, 2:37 pm 2:37 pm
Kind of reminds me of the Soviet Union. If you talked to anyone from there in the bad old days, they felt they had freedom. They were free to do exactly what the government wanted them to do. Of course the leverage point is fear of another invasion. We are afraid that the terrorist bogeyman is coming to get us, King George please take our freedoms so that you can protect us. Yes I’m being sarcastic.
A side point for those who might be interested. OBL is in Pakistan continuing to get his annual allocation of funding from Saudi Arabia (that was the agreement for him to leave Saudi Arabia) which is partially derived from the bin Laden association with the Carlisle group which is one business venture that the Bush’s share with the bin Laden clan.
Posted by: BooMan | October 16, 2007, 3:00 pm 3:00 pm
I’m sick of this sick government’s intrusion into people’s private affairs. I’m sick of these phone companies giving up our private info without a warrant. I miss my constitutional rights.
Posted by: Marilyn | October 16, 2007, 3:31 pm 3:31 pm
I would have to agree with the writer before me who stated “the Constitution has been set ablaze by fear and paranoia”. This fear has led us to accept the government to take back, renegotiate our basic rights to freedom and privacy in the name of Security.
With Freedom we want Security, with Security we want Freedom, the question is, how do we balance both Freedom and Security. Until we figure this out we will slowly dwindle away our Freedom for the sack of Security.
Posted by: lloyd | October 16, 2007, 3:41 pm 3:41 pm
It drives me crazy that they keep saying it costs the GOVERNMENT when what they really should be saying is it costs YOU! IT COSTS YOU $1,000 DOLLARS EVERYTIME THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO ILLEGALLY MONITOR YOURS OR ANYONE ELSES EMAILS OR OTHER ACTIVITY VIA THE INTERNET! KEEP THAT IN MIND YOU ARE BEING CHARGED BY THE GOVERNMENT SO THEY CAN SPY ON YOU!!!! RON PAUL FOR PRES!!
Posted by: Ezra | October 16, 2007, 3:45 pm 3:45 pm
All the people in here complaining about the Gov. reading e-mails, would be the same one’s griping about why the Gov. didn’t protect them from Osama…..
The Gov. is damned if they do and damned if they don’t. American’s will complain about anything.
Posted by: z | October 16, 2007, 3:46 pm 3:46 pm
I don’t believe the govtmt is reading everbody’s mail…I think you’ve only read the reporter’s version…thsi article is too general…The media is only writing enough to get you out there stirred up…Personally, I feel much safer with the current administration…Watch out for the democrats!!!
Posted by: Don Nunham | October 16, 2007, 3:46 pm 3:46 pm
I thought we had flying saucers for survielance?
Posted by: Jeff Paul | October 16, 2007, 6:22 pm 6:22 pm
It’s simple, the government is a propaganda and lie generating mafia,. and it is not allowed. The government freeky “surviels” neurons. If we were told even HALF the truth, Osama would be long caught
Posted by: Craig Davis | October 16, 2007, 6:23 pm 6:23 pm
FREE SPEECH!!
Posted by: Rhys Hovey | October 16, 2007, 6:24 pm 6:24 pm
In cases with national security, child predators, terrorists, ect., I don’t have a problem with the government obtaining information via Comcast, web strings, or whatever.
When the IRS uses it to prove where you were, how you lived, what you purchased in order to fine you for your reported activities, I start to draw the line. (Case involved an individual who lived in Las Vegas, NV and worked in Los Angeles, CA) If our government is so exact with uncovering criminal activity in the USA, why do we have 6 million + illegal aliens roaming around in the states? Maybe we could use this type of investigation to uncover their whereabouts?
Posted by: Bryan B. Stegall | October 16, 2007, 6:27 pm 6:27 pm
Hate to break it to those who believe history began in 2000, but look up project Echelon and President Clinton if you want to see Big Brother.
Posted by: Retired_subsailor | October 16, 2007, 8:00 pm 8:00 pm
Z: Actually I was one of the guys sitting in a Humvee in 110 degree heat in a city I couldnt pronounce the name of without spitting the first 50 times I tried to pronounce it. I guess I would have to say I have earned the RIGHT to tell the government they dont get to pick and choose the RIGHTS they honor from the constitution! Also I would say it insults me that after I took an oath to protect it (the Constitution) it annoys me that the regular citizens that also work hard to protect it are ridiculed by people such as yourself.
I support your right to say whatever you want but, I also support mine and millions like me to tell you that you are misinformed and need to educate yourself.
Ron Paul for pres! SEMPER FI!!!
Posted by: Ezra | October 16, 2007, 9:47 pm 9:47 pm
I am currently a customer of AT&T, but after reading this article I think I may switch to Comcast.
It’s very comforting to know that a company has the backbone to stand up to the goverment. Most are afraid or just don’t give two cents about their customer base, but it is obvious here that Comcast does. Keep up the solid work guys…
Posted by: Jessica | October 17, 2007, 6:56 am 6:56 am
And just where does the federal government get it’s money? So in essence, We the People are paying out of own pockets to be spied upon illegally. This is nothing but a propaganda piece designed to “soften up” and desensitize Americans for still more tyranny and the destruction of yet more of our constitutional rights.
Robert
Posted by: Robert S. Finnegan | October 17, 2007, 8:59 am 8:59 am
Hey, how about some revenue sharing, do the telecommunications companies own our personal data?
At 1k a pop I’ll take 50/50, but then again, I’d be making more overseas calls if that was the split.
Posted by: James | October 17, 2007, 5:50 pm 5:50 pm
Good glad to hear I’ve cost them some cash. (I made overseas calls to Iraq-a National Guard family member was there)
Posted by: Captain Crunch | October 17, 2007, 6:47 pm 6:47 pm
They use our money and our government to spy on all of us, yet they “lose” and “accidentally destroy” their own emails and use private email accounts to avoid being caught at all their many many crimes.
This entire administration should be in jail–Gitmo.
Posted by: amberglow | October 17, 2007, 11:20 pm 11:20 pm
Big Brother is watching, we better be sure we vote somebody in to protect our constitutional rights. Ron Paul in 08
Posted by: cpman1946 | October 18, 2007, 8:04 am 8:04 am
The important underlying issue is the COST of FREEDOM not how much it cost to lose it. Freedom is like virginity once gone you don’t get it back. If Comcast was only charging $1 that is still too much! Don’t worry about $ worry about you FREEDOM.
Posted by: matt in NM | October 18, 2007, 9:30 am 9:30 am
Kids, kids, kids….The vast majority of telecom providers absolutely require a subpoena for any kind of telephone record. No subpoena, no information. Also, the vast majority of telecom providers don’t charge the gov’t for the information. They may get reimbursed for a portion of the equipment required to perform the surveillance, but the information doesn’t have an associated cost.
Posted by: theroadkill | October 18, 2007, 3:51 pm 3:51 pm
And they say that crime does not pay. Looks like it pays pretty well.
Posted by: bobby stickers | October 18, 2007, 4:02 pm 4:02 pm
“Kids, kids, kids….The vast majority of telecom providers absolutely require a subpoena for any kind of telephone record.”
No, Qwest was the only major carrier that refused from Feb. 2001 on not to release phone records without a subpoena.
The CEO of Qwest, Joe Naccio, ended up in prison for not going along with the Bush gang and the stockholders lost a bunch of money because the NSA pulled a $200 million contract because Naccio wouldn’t play ball.
Posted by: Elmer Rilke | October 19, 2007, 12:38 am 12:38 am
The USDA is also forming a program that will put more surveillance on a certain segment of society, what they do and where they go and at any time this program allows for the USDA to seize their private property should disease be suspected in an area. What crime did these people commit? They own farm animals and are a threat to corporate ag and factory farming because they let their cattle, chickens, pigs, sheep, horses, etc roam free in pastures. They do not feed them growth hormones and feed additives and the public wants to buy this healthy grown food.
Posted by: susan barackman | October 20, 2007, 6:20 am 6:20 am
Excuse me but will someone tell me where my logic is wrong?
This article says the President may have been operating outside the law.
Isn’t that a high crime and/or misdemeanor?
Hence, WHERE are the impeachment proceedings? Hmmmm?
Posted by: JL | October 21, 2007, 2:57 am 2:57 am
I think it is most ironic that the people who rant the most about the evils of government, i.e. the Limbaugh dittoheads and other conservatives, are the biggest supporters of government snooping! In their eyes, anyone who opposes this massive electronic mining operation is on the side of the terrorists, is supporting the “enemy”, and a wuss in the war on terror. Would be funny if it wasn’t so dangerous to our liberties!
Posted by: AlChemist | October 21, 2007, 1:41 pm 1:41 pm
What no one seems to realize is that we signed the contract which clearly stated – in small print – that the internet and phone companies reserve the right to sell our information as they see fit. Right. I don’t agree with any of it, but hey, I want my cable tv and internet. What can we do but sit back and enjoy the viscious circle of life. BTW When is there ever going to be a worthy presidental canidate that’s actually selected to be president? Even the ones everyone thinks will be good for the country end up being talked badly about. But what would we doing if they took away our right to gripe?
Posted by: CW | October 21, 2007, 2:42 pm 2:42 pm
See what happens when you sign a piece of paper in a “paperless” society?
Posted by: Watcher | October 22, 2007, 4:44 pm 4:44 pm
The USDA is also forming a program that will put more surveillance on a certain segment of society, what they do and where they go and at any time this program allows for the USDA to seize their private property should disease be suspected in an area. What crime did these people commit? They own farm animals and are a threat to corporate ag and factory farming because they let their cattle, chickens, pigs, sheep, horses, etc roam free in pastures. They do not feed them growth hormones and feed additives and the public wants to buy this healthy grown food.
Posted by: susan barackman | Oct 20, 2007 6:20:33 AM
Hmmmmm, That sounds like, like, 1984!
Posted by: Watcher | October 22, 2007, 4:47 pm 4:47 pm
And we thought when Bernie Ebbers was locked up for 25 years we would wash our hands of the infidels. I have said all along that the ATT’s wanted him outta the big picture. He is out completely, and the ATT’s are getting paid big bucks to spy on us. Do they need to get a day job? I think so. If,like someone stated, we knew even a portion of the goings on in politics, we would join a different team, if you get my drift!
Posted by: Linda | October 22, 2007, 6:30 pm 6:30 pm