I find it unlikely that the JTTF don't have access to prism and other tools, so that seems a more likely avenue to me; searching for pressure cookers could lead to all sorts of non-https pages on amazon for example. After all that's exactly what these tools are designed to do - dig whatever the operators consider flags for terrorism this week out of the haystack of Internet traffic.
The information the NSA collects from Prism is routinely shared with both the FBI and CIA. A 3 August 2012 newsletter describes how the NSA has recently expanded sharing with the other two agencies. The NSA, the entry reveals, has even automated the sharing of aspects of Prism, using software that “enables our partners to see which selectors [search terms] the National Security Agency has tasked to Prism”.
The FBI have access to PRISM data, and they run JTTF operations. Do you believe that Joint Terrorism Task Forces have no access to the data selected by PRISM searches? I was under the impression that this information was shared, but perhaps you know better? Obviously the local police tasked with following up wouldn't have access, but I'd expect the FBI to have it, and frankly find that a more persuasive argument than a picture of some fireworks.
If the police or JTTF are investigating people as terrorist suspects on the basis of fireworks posted to Facebook on the 4th of July, their resources are absurdly misallocated, but I sincerely doubt they would bother for that alone.
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If this was the cause, why were they questioned about pressure cookers and not fireworks?
There's now a guardian article up about this with contradictory responses from the FBI and local police.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/01/new-york-police...
I find it unlikely that the JTTF don't have access to prism and other tools, so that seems a more likely avenue to me; searching for pressure cookers could lead to all sorts of non-https pages on amazon for example. After all that's exactly what these tools are designed to do - dig whatever the operators consider flags for terrorism this week out of the haystack of Internet traffic.
Alas, this only shows you don't understand what PRISM is. (Hint: it's not used by local cops! Sigh.)
From the Guardian report on PRISM data sharing:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/11/microsoft-nsa-c...
The information the NSA collects from Prism is routinely shared with both the FBI and CIA. A 3 August 2012 newsletter describes how the NSA has recently expanded sharing with the other two agencies. The NSA, the entry reveals, has even automated the sharing of aspects of Prism, using software that “enables our partners to see which selectors [search terms] the National Security Agency has tasked to Prism”.
The FBI have access to PRISM data, and they run JTTF operations. Do you believe that Joint Terrorism Task Forces have no access to the data selected by PRISM searches? I was under the impression that this information was shared, but perhaps you know better? Obviously the local police tasked with following up wouldn't have access, but I'd expect the FBI to have it, and frankly find that a more persuasive argument than a picture of some fireworks.
If the police or JTTF are investigating people as terrorist suspects on the basis of fireworks posted to Facebook on the 4th of July, their resources are absurdly misallocated, but I sincerely doubt they would bother for that alone.
You're making two big assumptions here:
1. PRISM is the only secret program with access to web browsing data.
2. People with access to PRISM and similar programs can't pass low-priority leads to local cops.
I'm not making those assumptions.
Even if it was due to her queries, they could have gotten them by tapping ISPs, they tend to comply easier than tech firms.
Who's "they?" Long Island cops?