Latest NSA Leak Finds Agency Spied On Porn Habits Of “Radicalizers”

Since June, we’ve learned that the NSA spies on just about everything we do in the name of stopping terrorism. As it turns out, the agency is even spying on our porn habits because it might just stop terrorists.

Fresh from his departure from The Guardian, Glenn Greenwald is now reporting on the latest Snowden leak from The Huffington Post. The latest revelation finds that the NSA is using its ability to snoop through browser histories to find ways to discredit those they consider “radicalizers.” Of course, that includes a person’s porn browsing history.

In the leaked document, the NSA says that it looks for porn habits, among other “vulnerabilities,” as they help to discredit those who speak out against the U.S. Here’s a list of vulnerabilities that the NSA looks for:

Viewing sexually explicit material online or using sexually explicit persuasive language when communicating with inexperienced young girls

Using a portion of the donations they are receiving from the susceptible pool to defray their own personal expenses

Charging an exorbitant amount of money for their speaking fees and being singularly attracted by opportunities to increase their stature

Being known to base their public messaging on questionable sources or using language that is contradictory in nature, leaving them open to credibility challenges

Despite describing the vices of the modern American evangelist, the NSA says these are merely some of the tools among many that they use to combat terrorism. What’s interesting, however, is that the six targets listed in the document have no actual ties to terrorism. They’re merely public persons that have views that could be considered anti-American, such as being of the opinion that America was behind the 9/11 attacks. While such views can certainly be criticized, it seems a little much to collect dossiers on their private Web browsing habits in an attempt to discredit them in the name of stopping terrorism.

While there’s no evidence that the NSA has used this tactic on domestic targets, ACLU Deputy Legal Director, Jameel Jaffer, says that shouldn’t make Americans any less wary about its existence:

“It’s important to remember that the NSA’s surveillance activities are anything but narrowly focused — the agency is collecting massive amounts of sensitive information about virtually everyone. Wherever you are, the NSA’s databases store information about your political views, your medical history, your intimate relationships and your activities online. The NSA says this personal information won’t be abused, but these documents show that the NSA probably defines ‘abuse’ very narrowly.”

While the government’s tactic of discrediting opponents is nothing new, there needs to be strict limitations on its use. Revealing that a terrorist leader is into kinky porn could severely demoralize his movement, but the same shouldn’t be used against those calling for peaceful change in this country. After all, we don’t want a repeat of Hoover’s administration.

[Image: Huffington Post]