[liberationtech] National Security Letters (NSLs) - in case you missed this

[hwamyeon]

On 03/22/13 13:00, Yosem Companys wrote:
> * I was told that my security research activities are a "legal grey
> area", but that the investigation was being closed. The SS said that
> the data they have on me "is safe" and "will be destroyed" after some
> "expiration period". I vehemently expressed my distrust that it would
> be held securely or destroyed.
>
>
I wouldn't necessarily doubt them on that account. They can only collect
this data on you under very specific legal authorities (usually an
executive order). Those legal authorities all specify expiration periods
on the collected data, beyond which it is illegal to store the
information. This is usually about five years, though sometimes a set
date is used. While they may hold onto your data for a few years, it
will eventually be destroyed. Otherwise, the officers in charge of your
data could face prosecution from their attorney general, and the
compliance officer they work under would have their career threatened.

If there were illegal activities involved in monitoring you, I would
very much doubt they would acknowledge it at all or so much as speak to
you, much less over a recordable medium such the phone.