NSA tracked calls of 35 world leaders

A memo revealed that back in 2006 the NSA has interest in tracking phone calls of 35 world leaders, thanks to an unnamed US official in the memo that turned over about 200 phone numbers.

So it appears that Germany and Brazil aren't the only nations that were under the watchful eyes of the NSA.

The Guardian (with excerpt of memo)

Real name and face on Google's ads?

Coming soon, Google may feature you in their online ads. with your real name and profile picture. In Google's new Terms of Use, it revealed that it may use your Google+ profile  name and picture as shared endorsements to family, friends and other users.

Ars Technica - with more info

NSA and British intel had interest in decryption

More documents about the NSA revealed that they may have had interest in breaking encryption to gain access to information from the Internet, such as e-mails, medical records and banking info.

GCHQ (British intelligence) also may had interest in decrypting info on the web as well.

Many people use encryption to protect information for a good reason: privacy. Also this is done to deter cyber-criminals who may use sensitive info for their own purposes.

So this may prove that even with encryption, there's not much escape from the NSA, providing they have the effective back-door means to access such encrypted info.

TheGuardian - Revealed: how US and UK spy agencies defeat internet privacy and security

People protesting NSA surveillance programs in Washington DC

Thanks to the Associated Press for covering this, now people in Washington are protesting the NSA surveillance programs, the collection of data from cell phones and the Internet.

Obama to support Internet wiretapping program

RT America video on FBI's latest attempt to monitor Internet users on chats, emails and more.

US entertainment industry calls for use of rootkits against Internet pirates

So, if going after Internet piracy with DMCA takedowns and ISP throttling of Net connections aren’t enough, the music and movie industries in the US are looking to take their Internet piracy fight to the next level with legalizing the use of malware, such as spyware and rootkits, to go up against Internet pirates on the web.

One of many measures looked at, is the ability to lock your PC with a notice saying for example, that you broke a law and need to pay a fine (known as ransomware).

Such as measure like this takes the fight directly to the user.

Source: Boing Boing

Boston marathon bomber left behind digital trail

Russia Today America video on one of the Boston bombers that left behind a digital past on YouTube, Twitter and other social media sites that may reveal more about both of the suspects.