The Intercept: The Surveillance Engine – How the NSA Built Its Own Secret Google
A “Google-like” search engine named ICREACH is a “one-stop shopping tool” that the NSA is secretly providing to multiple government agencies, according to documents obtained by The Intercept. The program contains information on the private communications of American citizens and people from around the world – who have not been accused of wrongdoing – totaling more than 850 billion records of phone calls, cellphone locations, and internet chats.
In related news, other intelligence insiders appear to be sharing information with media organizations, and the government’s attempts to crackdown – including the potential monitoring of individual computers – is “months if not years away.”
Stars and Stripes: 3-Star General Under Investigation for Allegedly Punishing Whistleblower
A general in the Marine Corps Reserve has been accused of violating the Pentagon’s whistleblower protection policy by allegedly trying to end the career of a lower-ranking officer for speaking with politicians about attacks in Afghanistan. The Department of Defense Inspector General is investigating if the general acted in retaliation.
Headline & Global News: Wildleaks Whistleblower Website Fights Poaching in Africa
A website called WildLeaks aims to provide a whistleblowing platform to prevent international wildlife crimes such as the poaching of endangered animals and illegal importing and trading. Since its launch in February, WildLeaks has used 28 tips to successfully combat crimes.
Michael Riley is a Communications Intern for the Government Accountability Project, the nation’s leading whistleblower protection and advocacy organization.