The interview discusses how incremental changes over time under administrations of both parties have led to a form of mass surveillance by the NSA on US persons, despite public claims otherwise. The evolution began with the Patriot Act post-9/11 and was facilitated by clever legal interpretations that bent the law without technically breaking it. Motivated reasoning within the intelligence community, lack of adversarial pushback, and fear of terrorist attacks contributed to this shift. Key moments include James Clapper's 2012 testimony and Edward Snowden’s leaks in 2013, which revealed redefinitions such as that of "target" under Executive Order 12333. The discussion highlights the tension between national security needs and constitutional protections against mass surveillance without probable cause.
Read the full article at The Verge
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