Are Cruzio's Customers Being Surveilled?

Cruzio: Is the Government Reading Our E-Mails?

Recent disclosures by Edward Snowdon indicate that large internet servers have allowed the government to place a “backdoor” in their systems, allowing spying on our e-mails without a specific warrant issued by a legitimate court for actual individualized criminal suspicion.

Two e-mail services (Texas-based Lavabit & Silent Circle) have shut down rather than co-operate with massive ongoing surveillance opening every person to government snoops.

“I would strongly recommend against anyone trusting their private data to a company with physical ties to the United States," said Lavabit's Ladar Levison, Owner and Operator. Levison added he couldn't even talk about the appeal because of a government gag law.

We urge Cruzio to determine whether its customers are in daily danger of surveillance. We also ask them to poll their customers as to whether they'd prefer surveillance or a complete shut down—posing it as a hypothetical question so as to protect Cruzio from legal sanctions.

WE WILL CONTACT CRUZIO FOR SPECIFIC ANSWERS.

You do NOT have to be a city resident, Cruzio customer registered voter, adult, or non-felon to sign.
Please include contact information and skills to help with subsequent actions.


Petition by Norse 831-423-4833 309 Cedar PMB #14B Santa Cruz, CA 95060 8-16-13

Read up on National Security Letters.

https://www.eff.org/issues/national-security-letters

The EFF has been fighting, and recently won, but it is probably headed to the 9th Circuit, and then the Supreme, and big brother rarely loses...

"Of course while this decision is a major victory, it is likely also a preliminary one. Because of the stay of the ruling, our client still cannot identify itself and participate more fully in the public debate about NSLs. EFF is gearing up for the likely appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and, possibly, to the Supreme Court. But that shouldn't stop us from taking a moment to celebrate and to remember that over-reaching national security powers can be challenged and challenged successfully."

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/03/depth-judge-illstons-remarkable-order-striking-down-nsl-statute

"We urge Cruzio to determine whether its customers are in daily danger of surveillance. We also ask them to poll their customers as to whether they'd prefer surveillance or a complete shut down—posing it as a hypothetical question so as to protect Cruzio from legal sanctions. "

I think this addresses the problem of government retaliation if Cruzio tells. Simply asking its membership what they would prefer to do "in the event that" Cruzio were compelled to turn over information either directly or via a larger server's secret agreement. Using the hypothetical

The case G refers to regards the EFF and the FBI's powers. I think with the Snowden revelations about the sweeping minute-by-minute retrieval of everyone's e-mail, the situation is qualitatively different--both in terms of scope and public reaction to the situation. In any case, posing a hypothetical question to from Cruzio to its customers does not reveal any actual information and so does not seem to violate any kind of gag order--though EFF is to be commended, of ccurse for challenging the whole wretched process.

If enough servers begin to raise these issues with their customers--left and right and inbetween--it will add to the pressure on the Empire's snoopmasters.

I've requested that indybay move this story and a prior local one about the ACLU to the more relevant "local" news section. My apologies to readers for any inconvenience in finding it.

It isn't just email, Robert. Everything. Everyone. Stored for the duration. It has been going on for a long time. The data has been 'shared' for a long time. Snowden demonstrated that even outsourced admins have access. Now it is fashionable to raise the issue.

The spin is that it's cheaper to store everything, all the time, instead of targetting individuals 'on the wire'. Phone call content, email content, web interactions (including social networks, because 'traffic analysis' is surprisingly valuable), FAXes, texts, financial transactions (reveals who, where, when, possibly with whom), walking down the street (smile for the cameras (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMNIxKy3MG0)), etc, etc, etc. If they can gain access, they keep, and abuse.

Cruzio is not unique in this regard. It is reasonable to assume that they are cooperating, because (when asked) they would be required to, 'or else'. Who knows, maybe Cruzio is part of the EFF test case! Anyway, Cruzio is just like every other ISP, phone company, security company, electric company, gas company, water company, garbage company, insurance company, medical provider, bank, investment firm, etc, etc, etc. Cooperate, 'or else'. That there is good money to be made selling, and abusing, access is a secondary issue, although it does raise the question of unchecked trillion dollar gangsters...