Subject: Continuous monitoring of personal communications to aid in stopping terrorists attacks.
Issue: Should the National Security Agency continuously monitor all platforms of personal communications via electronic mediums to aid in stopping or avoiding terrorist attacks? My position on this subject is yes. .
Facts: People often wonder how personal communications can be monitored if they are 'private' such as a phone call, text message, email, and messaged exchanged on social media sites. Though the precise methodology has not been released, the knowledge of capability to monitor such communications has been disclosed. During an interview with The Guardian, Edward Snowden, ex-CIA and former NSA contractor, asserted that "The NSA has built an infrastructure that allows it to intercept almost everything. With this capability, the vast majority of human communications are automatically ingested without targeting" (MacAskill, 2014, p. 1).
Additionally, an objection commonly brought up during discussion about the topic of communication monitoring is the invasion of personal privacy. However, more than half of the vote concludes that "Currently 62% say it is more important for the federal government to investigate possible terrorist threats, even if that intrudes on personal privacy" (Pew Research Center, 2013, p. 1). .
Beginning June 5, 2013, the National Security Agency (NSA) conducted a two-week trial method to abolish plans of terrorist's attacks on the United States. In-depth electronic communication monitoring was the methodology used during the investigation and prevention of plans to distress both the country and the citizens of the U.S. The experimental monitoring took place June 5 through June 19, 2013. According to the writers at The New America Foundation, "The information gathered from these programs provided the U.S. government with critical leads to help prevent over 50 potential terrorist events" (Bergen, Sterman, Schnieder, & Bailey, 2014, p.