Despite the criticism being heaped upon the National Security Agency and their mass collection of metadata, the program has been renewed for another 90 days. The renewal comes from the secretive Foreign Intelligence Surveillance (FISA) Court, which was thrust into the spotlight last summer when whistleblower Edward Snowden revealed the programs it endorses.
The document, which you can see above, is the NSA’a official press release concerning the renewal of the program. The statement says despite the recent findings from a New York judge that the metadata collection program was unconstitutional, they find it inarguably legal.
Metadata for beginners ;) #30c3 #eff pic.twitter.com/ElQsRUa4AR
— Marion Marschalek (@pinkflawd) December 30, 2013
Metadata collection is the collection of caller and recipient phone numbers, duration of the call, and even call location for millions upon millions of Americans. Although this information seems innocuous enough, many critics of the program have shown what trained analysts are capable of learning about a person through metadata.