USPS Collects Metadata At Will

[ballsofsteel5000]

Just in case anyone didn't read this when it first came out:

U.S. Postal Service Logging All Mail for Law Enforcement

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/04/us/monitoring-of-snail-mail.html?hp&_r=2&pagewanted=all&

"As the world focuses on the high-tech spying of the National Security Agency, the misplaced card offers a rare glimpse inside the seemingly low-tech but prevalent snooping of the United States Postal Service.

Mr. Pickering was targeted by a longtime surveillance system called mail covers, a forerunner of a vastly more expansive effort, the Mail Isolation Control and Tracking program, in which Postal Service computers photograph the exterior of every piece of paper mail that is processed in the United States — about 160 billion pieces last year. It is not known how long the government saves the images.

Together, the two programs show that postal mail is subject to the same kind of scrutiny that the National Security Agency has given to telephone calls and e-mail.

The mail covers program, used to monitor Mr. Pickering, is more than a century old but is still considered a powerful tool. At the request of law enforcement officials, postal workers record information from the outside of letters and parcels before they are delivered. (Opening the mail would require a warrant.) The information is sent to the law enforcement agency that asked for it. Tens of thousands of pieces of mail each year undergo this scrutiny."

So, the USPS collects metadata about all of your mail that law enforcement can then utilize at any time by putting in a (never denied) request to USPS -- all without a warrant. This means that even if they need a warrant to search the actual contents of your mail, they can find out virtually all else they need to know about you save the specific contents of packages; further, I bet the metadata they collect can serve as the basis for warrants to look into said packages.

Hypothesis: law enforcement can quickly "follow the trail" to virtually everybody involved with a busted source via the mail system by requesting the metadata for said source, and so on for persons involved with those persons, using this metadata as pretext to get warrants to search all relevant packages.

It's generally said that USPS is safer than private delivery methods for sending out goodies. Does this news make that claim out of date?

 

[gearusing]

Just in case anyone didn't read this when it first came out:

U.S. Postal Service Logging All Mail for Law Enforcement

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/04/us/monitoring-of-snail-mail.html?hp&_r=2&pagewanted=all&

"As the world focuses on the high-tech spying of the National Security Agency, the misplaced card offers a rare glimpse inside the seemingly low-tech but prevalent snooping of the United States Postal Service.

Mr. Pickering was targeted by a longtime surveillance system called mail covers, a forerunner of a vastly more expansive effort, the Mail Isolation Control and Tracking program, in which Postal Service computers photograph the exterior of every piece of paper mail that is processed in the United States — about 160 billion pieces last year. It is not known how long the government saves the images.

Together, the two programs show that postal mail is subject to the same kind of scrutiny that the National Security Agency has given to telephone calls and e-mail.

The mail covers program, used to monitor Mr. Pickering, is more than a century old but is still considered a powerful tool. At the request of law enforcement officials, postal workers record information from the outside of letters and parcels before they are delivered. (Opening the mail would require a warrant.) The information is sent to the law enforcement agency that asked for it. Tens of thousands of pieces of mail each year undergo this scrutiny."

So, the USPS collects metadata about all of your mail that law enforcement can then utilize at any time by putting in a (never denied) request to USPS -- all without a warrant. This means that even if they need a warrant to search the actual contents of your mail, they can find out virtually all else they need to know about you save the specific contents of packages; further, I bet the metadata they collect can serve as the basis for warrants to look into said packages.

Hypothesis: law enforcement can quickly "follow the trail" to virtually everybody involved with a busted source via the mail system by requesting the metadata for said source, and so on for persons involved with those persons, using this metadata as pretext to get warrants to search all relevant packages.

It's generally said that USPS is safer than private delivery methods for sending out goodies. Does this news make that claim out of date?

What do you mean by LE the FBI? I wonder how far this can go and what the terms are for the local police getting a warrant to your mail. Thats too far. The FBI is understandable because they are apart of the government. But the local cops thats the state. Thats going too far.

 

[kawilt]

It's all federal..............

 

[gearusing]

It's all federal..............

No its not all federal. The FBI is an organization that does things by the book. The local police might weasel some way into getting into your mail. Ever heard of crooked cops? Government agencies are hall monitors. The cops can be just as big of a problem as you are but in a group and with badges.

 

[ballsofsteel5000]

No its not all federal. The FBI is an organization that does things by the book. The local police might weasel some way into getting into your mail. Ever heard of crooked cops? Government agencies are hall monitors. The cops can be just as big of a problem as you are but in a group and with badges.

The program was revealed in the context of an FBI affidavit against that crazed bitch who sent Obama and Bloomberg ricin-laced letters, but media reports on the program don't indicate whether only federal LE utilizes it. Anyway, the DEA certainly does.

 

[gearusing]

The program was revealed in the context of an FBI affidavit against that crazed bitch who sent Obama and Bloomberg ricin-laced letters, but media reports on the program don't indicate whether only federal LE utilizes it. Anyway, the DEA certainly does.

I don't care. If there is a suspicious package and you need to arrest someone for it. Who does the federal government (USPS) call the local cops? No probably the FBI. What I was thinking was if the local police wanted to start checking your mail thats what this implied. And all I said was thats unfair. But I get it now.

 

[TheGuy85]

You'd be surprised to know that local LE agencies have DEA liaisons in their departments.

 

[gearusing]

You'd be surprised to know that local LE agencies have DEA liaisons in their departments.

Whats that matter? When you get arrested what does it come down to federal,county,city,or state.I don't think the local,county, or state police should be able to go through your mail. If the DEA wants to go get it and pass it down thats on you. Your the one doing something illegal to have that happen. I would trust the federal government to do whats right because its a government there is no room for mistakes. But the local and county cops I would never trust they can be a gang of crooks just like anyone else. The state touching my mail you might as well have another country doing that because state and government need to be separated. Thats not the states place. If it was they need to deliver the mail instead of the federal government.

 

[kawilt]

You'd be surprised to know that local LE agencies have DEA liaisons in their departments.

Your right there...Like I said "it's federal".. State rights went out the window years ago, the lines are quite blurred. But if your busted for something to do with the U.S. mail, it will be a federal charge. I guess actually when there through with you the state could step in and charge you also, but, I don't know. You are a citizen of the U.S. and you are also a citizen of the State. The police in the Rodney King beating trial found that out.

 

[TheGuy85]

The feds might let local LE handle it and you only get state charges. If it's something that seems major the feds might come. But for pettier things I believe everything will be ran down through the state. If your pack gets picked off the Postal Inspectors office or whoever the fuck is LE over mail would contact local law enforcement and leave it in their hands if they don't feel it is worth the time or resources. If the state/local LE feels like a controlled delivery isn't worth their time they will probably just scare the hell out of you. Assuming it becomes a federal case using the mail to deliver/accept drugs carries it's own penalties added on to the initial charge.

 

[TheGuy85]

If you lived in a major city I doubt local LE would ever bother with a controlled delivery of small amounts of AAS. Now if you live in bumfuck rural whothefuckknowswhere they might make an example out of you. Not saying your going to get roofed in court but it will end up in papers and they will hype up the petty misdemeanor/felony (depends on state) you've been charged with.

 

[ballsofsteel5000]

I don't care.

Is there some reason to care whether you care or not? The value of the subject remains whatever your dopy opinion.

 

[gearusing]

Is there some reason to care whether you care or not? The value of the subject remains whatever your dopy opinion.

My opinion is never dopy. Are you one of bens trolls? Why did you quote the words I don't care instead of the whole reply? You fucked yourself. Get lost.

 

[ballsofsteel5000]

Why did you quote the words I don't care instead of the whole reply?

Because that's the statement I'm responding to, dopy mcdoperson.

You fucked yourself.

How do you figure?

 

[gearusing]

Because that's the statement I'm responding to, dopy mcdoperson.



How do you figure?

By making yourself look dumb. What do you care if the government can go through your mail? They control and operate the country. You pay taxes to live there. The local police to the state police are the same as you. But they have a badge. The local cops can be a gang of rowdy people too and decide to go through your shit. And act like they are doing a prank and its funny to get a fucking warrant. Thats where I complained. The government operates the mail service, they operate the people who will come arrest you. They operate it all what would I care its theirs. You have to follow their rules. Not the local police who will break those rules themselves to fuck you.

 

[zeno]

It is not known how long the government saves the images.

I dont recall where I heard this, maybe 60 minutes or local news, but I specifically remember them stating that the photos of the packages are saved up to one month...

 

[ballsofsteel5000]

By making yourself look dumb. What do you care if the government can go through your mail?

This USPS program is interesting in a variety of ways: from a technical perspective, from a political perspective (because it represents an expansion of the surveillance state), and from a practical perspective (because it gives LE even more capability to go after sources).

If you can't see what's interesting about any facet of the program, I suggest that you may have been dropped on the head shortly after exiting the womb. Oh, and simply don't comment if it's all a bore.