Comments on: Story Of The Government Having Twitter Data Access Is “Bullshit,” Says Co-Founder http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/14/story-of-the-government-having-twitter-data-access-is-bullshit-say-co-founder/ Startup and Technology News Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:07:44 -0800 hourly 1 By: jwilson http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/14/story-of-the-government-having-twitter-data-access-is-bullshit-say-co-founder/comment-page-1/#comment-2962928 jwilson Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:03:48 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=83159#comment-2962928 guess its not bullshit now! this link seems to be getting hammered so slow. looks like a great work around for obama. http://nlpc.org/stories/2009/08/31/obama-white-house-has-secret-plan-harvest-personal-data-social-networking-website guess its not bullshit now! this link seems to be getting hammered so slow. looks like a great work around for obama.

http://nlpc.org...working-website

]]> By: B S http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/14/story-of-the-government-having-twitter-data-access-is-bullshit-say-co-founder/comment-page-1/#comment-2886029 B S Tue, 28 Jul 2009 21:48:13 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=83159#comment-2886029 Goog Knows ALL, KEEPS ALL, and GIVES UP ALL to BIG Bro.. Goog Knows ALL, KEEPS ALL, and GIVES UP ALL to BIG Bro..

]]> By: wayne Lambright http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/14/story-of-the-government-having-twitter-data-access-is-bullshit-say-co-founder/comment-page-1/#comment-2870092 wayne Lambright Tue, 21 Jul 2009 17:51:54 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=83159#comment-2870092 NO, maybe some people give a shit about other in the world unlike you own political agenda "Sara Kristoff" NO, maybe some people give a shit about other in the world unlike you own political agenda “Sara Kristoff”

]]> By: Jalada http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/14/story-of-the-government-having-twitter-data-access-is-bullshit-say-co-founder/comment-page-1/#comment-2860582 Jalada Thu, 16 Jul 2009 12:59:36 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=83159#comment-2860582 Twitterfall doesn't have access to the firehose, it just uses the Twitter Search API, which is publicly available (unlike the firehose). Twitterfall doesn’t have access to the firehose, it just uses the Twitter Search API, which is publicly available (unlike the firehose).

]]> By: Jodo Kast http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/14/story-of-the-government-having-twitter-data-access-is-bullshit-say-co-founder/comment-page-1/#comment-2859334 Jodo Kast Wed, 15 Jul 2009 23:30:49 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=83159#comment-2859334 Just because he denies it, doesn't make it untrue. Sounds like you struck a nerve. If twitterfall.com has access, why wouldn't anyone else? It's available, not many protect their updates, so of course it will be spied on. To think otherwise is naive. Just because he denies it, doesn’t make it untrue.

Sounds like you struck a nerve. If twitterfall.com has access, why wouldn’t anyone else? It’s available, not many protect their updates, so of course it will be spied on.

To think otherwise is naive.

]]> By: Sarah Kristoff http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/14/story-of-the-government-having-twitter-data-access-is-bullshit-say-co-founder/comment-page-1/#comment-2858693 Sarah Kristoff Wed, 15 Jul 2009 19:29:38 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=83159#comment-2858693 Why did the U.S. government ask Twitter to stay up during the Iran turmoil? Was it a vehicle of the U.S. government? Yes. Why did the U.S. government ask Twitter to stay up during the Iran turmoil? Was it a vehicle of the U.S. government? Yes.

]]> By: Yea, Right http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/14/story-of-the-government-having-twitter-data-access-is-bullshit-say-co-founder/comment-page-1/#comment-2858417 Yea, Right Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:23:41 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=83159#comment-2858417 Something doesn't jive here : "...The news apparently came from a source who presumably overheard a Twitter employee talking about it at lunch. To categorize that as “flimsy” would be an understatement." You're calling this info as flimsy, yet, when it comes to *stolen* twitter information, Techcrunch views that as valid? Who's to say the *stolen* information was not altered before it was *leaked*? Something doesn’t jive here :
“…The news apparently came from a source who presumably overheard a Twitter employee talking about it at lunch. To categorize that as “flimsy” would be an understatement.”

You’re calling this info as flimsy, yet, when it comes to *stolen* twitter information, Techcrunch views that as valid? Who’s to say the *stolen* information was not altered before it was *leaked*?

]]> By: Erin Blaskie http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/14/story-of-the-government-having-twitter-data-access-is-bullshit-say-co-founder/comment-page-1/#comment-2858285 Erin Blaskie Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:35:53 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=83159#comment-2858285 Okay seriously? The idea that the government has access to DMs and the like is not news, not scary or not anything to be worked up about. In fact, Twitter shouldn't have to even comment on this regardless of whether they shared info or not. Why? Well, let's see. The government has access to everything. They can freeze bank accounts in a moment's notice, show up at your door and seize assets, find your long-lost relative that even you don't know about, etc., etc. To make a big deal out of the government having access to our DMs is absurd. Here's my rule of thumb. Don't put anything into a DM that you would care about the government reading. If you are plotting a ploy to overhaul a country, don't do it via Twitter. In fact, don't do it online at all. (That's extreme, hopefully you get the point). I get that people are all about their privacy and such but then they get on Facebook and Twitter and pretty soon, there isn't much that a common person can't learn about them let alone a government body. So, if you play online, stop complaining or criticizing companies when there is a rumor about them being in partnership with the government. It's just annoying, who cares, kind of news. E. Okay seriously? The idea that the government has access to DMs and the like is not news, not scary or not anything to be worked up about. In fact, Twitter shouldn’t have to even comment on this regardless of whether they shared info or not.

Why?

Well, let’s see. The government has access to everything. They can freeze bank accounts in a moment’s notice, show up at your door and seize assets, find your long-lost relative that even you don’t know about, etc., etc. To make a big deal out of the government having access to our DMs is absurd.

Here’s my rule of thumb. Don’t put anything into a DM that you would care about the government reading. If you are plotting a ploy to overhaul a country, don’t do it via Twitter. In fact, don’t do it online at all. (That’s extreme, hopefully you get the point).

I get that people are all about their privacy and such but then they get on Facebook and Twitter and pretty soon, there isn’t much that a common person can’t learn about them let alone a government body. So, if you play online, stop complaining or criticizing companies when there is a rumor about them being in partnership with the government. It’s just annoying, who cares, kind of news.

E.

]]> By: New Gadgets | Story Of The Government Having Twitter Data Access Is “Bullshit,” Says Co-Founder http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/14/story-of-the-government-having-twitter-data-access-is-bullshit-say-co-founder/comment-page-1/#comment-2858088 New Gadgets | Story Of The Government Having Twitter Data Access Is “Bullshit,” Says Co-Founder Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:57:32 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=83159#comment-2858088 [...] Original post by admin [...] [...] Original post by admin [...]

]]> By: Alexander Howard http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/14/story-of-the-government-having-twitter-data-access-is-bullshit-say-co-founder/comment-page-1/#comment-2857964 Alexander Howard Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:50:20 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=83159#comment-2857964 Thanks for reaching @Biz for comment, MG. I wish we could get the feds to be as forthcoming, but then TechCrunch's heft doesn't extend to those agencies that can't be named. It took the Old Grey Lady's resources/investigative reporting to break the warrantless wiretap story, after all. Given public statements regarding the utility of the intelligence coming out of, say, Iran -- and the paucity of same that statements coming out of the White House implied - it's reasonable to expect that the NSA would be filtering and data mining tweets at some level. It's probably time to go back to the TOS and see what privacy users should expect for protected updates and DMs: none. http://twitter.com/tos I see plenty on copyright and "content that we determine in our sole discretion are unlawful, offensive, threatening, libelous, defamatory, obscene or otherwise objectionable or violates any party's intellectual property" but nothing about protecting the privacy of individuals or their messages. Maybe it's between the lines, like in the Constitution? Twitter is a profoundly public platform; of course they are scanning it. The heart of the story is that the feds have acceess to the firehose. Biz has said that they do not. We can learn more over time about the veracity of that claim but in the meantime, thank you for soliciting his position, MG. Thanks for reaching @Biz for comment, MG.

I wish we could get the feds to be as forthcoming, but then TechCrunch’s heft doesn’t extend to those agencies that can’t be named.

It took the Old Grey Lady’s resources/investigative reporting to break the warrantless wiretap story, after all.

Given public statements regarding the utility of the intelligence coming out of, say, Iran — and the paucity of same that statements coming out of the White House implied – it’s reasonable to expect that the NSA would be filtering and data mining tweets at some level.

It’s probably time to go back to the TOS and see what privacy users should expect for protected updates and DMs: none.
http://twitter.com/tos

I see plenty on copyright and “content that we determine in our sole discretion are unlawful, offensive, threatening, libelous, defamatory, obscene or otherwise objectionable or violates any party’s intellectual property” but nothing about protecting the privacy of individuals or their messages.

Maybe it’s between the lines, like in the Constitution?

Twitter is a profoundly public platform; of course they are scanning it. The heart of the story is that the feds have acceess to the firehose. Biz has said that they do not. We can learn more over time about the veracity of that claim but in the meantime, thank you for soliciting his position, MG.

]]> By: William McNeill http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/14/story-of-the-government-having-twitter-data-access-is-bullshit-say-co-founder/comment-page-1/#comment-2857913 William McNeill Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:22:26 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=83159#comment-2857913 Agreed. What do you think the NSA does all day? Also, the government is one of the largest users of search software and technology. They use all major search vendors products. They don't need Twitter's permission to tap into the datastream. Agreed. What do you think the NSA does all day? Also, the government is one of the largest users of search software and technology. They use all major search vendors products. They don’t need Twitter’s permission to tap into the datastream.

]]> By: T http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/14/story-of-the-government-having-twitter-data-access-is-bullshit-say-co-founder/comment-page-1/#comment-2857720 T Wed, 15 Jul 2009 11:24:07 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=83159#comment-2857720 +1 +1

]]> By: Jan http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/14/story-of-the-government-having-twitter-data-access-is-bullshit-say-co-founder/comment-page-1/#comment-2857214 Jan Wed, 15 Jul 2009 07:57:01 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=83159#comment-2857214 This is probably a misunderstanding, not having to do with NSA, but with BIS and the US laws on the export of technology. Companies like Twitter, Facebook and Friendfeed are basically breaking US law by exporting software and services to embargoed countries. You can think this is silly, but is about following the law. Either you change the law, or you comply with it. This is probably a misunderstanding, not having to do with NSA, but with BIS and the US laws on the export of technology. Companies like Twitter, Facebook and Friendfeed are basically breaking US law by exporting software and services to embargoed countries. You can think this is silly, but is about following the law. Either you change the law, or you comply with it.

]]> By: Amit Bhawani http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/14/story-of-the-government-having-twitter-data-access-is-bullshit-say-co-founder/comment-page-1/#comment-2857102 Amit Bhawani Wed, 15 Jul 2009 07:13:22 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=83159#comment-2857102 Basically no one is given access to the data unless its really important for the govt to know about a specific person! Basically no one is given access to the data unless its really important for the govt to know about a specific person!

]]> By: Jay Cuthrell http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/14/story-of-the-government-having-twitter-data-access-is-bullshit-say-co-founder/comment-page-1/#comment-2857084 Jay Cuthrell Wed, 15 Jul 2009 07:09:21 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=83159#comment-2857084 This sounds like confusion to me now. http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/14/in-our-inbox-hundreds-of-confidential-twitter-documents/ On the one hand interaction with the Feds would be involved if there were computer crime and all manner of forensics would be brought into account. Perhaps this is simply comments regarding specific pools of data (corporate) vs. the stream (public). This sounds like confusion to me now.

http://www.tech...tter-documents/

On the one hand interaction with the Feds would be involved if there were computer crime and all manner of forensics would be brought into account.

Perhaps this is simply comments regarding specific pools of data (corporate) vs. the stream (public).

]]> By: Gebadia Smith http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/14/story-of-the-government-having-twitter-data-access-is-bullshit-say-co-founder/comment-page-1/#comment-2856944 Gebadia Smith Wed, 15 Jul 2009 06:31:46 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=83159#comment-2856944 I am dead serious.. it sounds funny I know but if I am the CIA or FBI I am scanning everything online. Didn't the Bush admin spy on its own people.. and twitters feed is mostly public.. It just makes sense that a govt agency would scan for common keywords and such.. I am dead serious.. it sounds funny I know but if I am the CIA or FBI I am scanning everything online. Didn’t the Bush admin spy on its own people.. and twitters feed is mostly public.. It just makes sense that a govt agency would scan for common keywords and such..

]]> By: Adam http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/14/story-of-the-government-having-twitter-data-access-is-bullshit-say-co-founder/comment-page-1/#comment-2856904 Adam Wed, 15 Jul 2009 06:21:59 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=83159#comment-2856904 Correct on the second sentence, but the word "public(ly)" in the third sentence suggests it has an equal opposite. There's a backdoor for everything. Correct on the second sentence, but the word “public(ly)” in the third sentence suggests it has an equal opposite.

There’s a backdoor for everything.

]]> By: Adam http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/14/story-of-the-government-having-twitter-data-access-is-bullshit-say-co-founder/comment-page-1/#comment-2856886 Adam Wed, 15 Jul 2009 06:17:01 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=83159#comment-2856886 I hope that was satire that I just didn't pick up on. We aren't in a War on Terror, but rather a War of Terror. Watch 7/7 Ripple Effect and pay attention to the tax calculator estimate of the probability. I hope that was satire that I just didn’t pick up on.

We aren’t in a War on Terror, but rather a War of Terror. Watch 7/7 Ripple Effect and pay attention to the tax calculator estimate of the probability.

]]> By: Chris http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/14/story-of-the-government-having-twitter-data-access-is-bullshit-say-co-founder/comment-page-1/#comment-2856880 Chris Wed, 15 Jul 2009 06:13:17 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=83159#comment-2856880 OMG, there's no way the NSA would do that? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL-C2a8C-U4 Notice how services like Twitter which are produced internationally are never allowed to become popular in the United States. I'm not saying that's a bad thing. Google's SEO chief Matt Cutts used to work at the NSA. OMG, there’s no way the NSA would do that?

http://www.yout...h?v=mL-C2a8C-U4

Notice how services like Twitter which are produced internationally are never allowed to become popular in the United States. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing.

Google’s SEO chief Matt Cutts used to work at the NSA.

]]> By: mun911 http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/14/story-of-the-government-having-twitter-data-access-is-bullshit-say-co-founder/comment-page-1/#comment-2856870 mun911 Wed, 15 Jul 2009 06:08:11 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=83159#comment-2856870 did you know the goverment check your facebook once in i while and there are not on your freinds list. How do i know? i work for Facebook ssssssshhhhh dont tell anyone except Valleywag,and Techcrunch facebook PR guy... did you know the goverment check your facebook once in i while and there are not on your freinds list.

How do i know? i work for Facebook ssssssshhhhh dont tell anyone except Valleywag,and Techcrunch facebook PR guy…

]]> By: <fb:name linked="false" useyou="false" uid="501203508">Drew Olanoff</fb:name> http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/14/story-of-the-government-having-twitter-data-access-is-bullshit-say-co-founder/comment-page-1/#comment-2856868 Drew Olanoff Wed, 15 Jul 2009 06:06:59 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=83159#comment-2856868 The Government can have my DM's, they consist of "dude, do you really have cancer?" and "oh hey, did you send me that thing you said you would?" The Government can have my DM’s, they consist of “dude, do you really have cancer?” and “oh hey, did you send me that thing you said you would?”

]]> By: <fb:name linked="false" useyou="false" uid="501203508">Drew Olanoff</fb:name> http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/14/story-of-the-government-having-twitter-data-access-is-bullshit-say-co-founder/comment-page-1/#comment-2856865 Drew Olanoff Wed, 15 Jul 2009 06:05:38 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=83159#comment-2856865 Um because crying wolf about the government reading personal stuff could I dono...RUIN A BUSINESS? Um because crying wolf about the government reading personal stuff could I dono…RUIN A BUSINESS?

]]> By: EH http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/14/story-of-the-government-having-twitter-data-access-is-bullshit-say-co-founder/comment-page-1/#comment-2856858 EH Wed, 15 Jul 2009 06:01:54 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=83159#comment-2856858 Serious story? So you asked when they're filing the lawsuit due to Twitter having been "libeled" by VW? Unless they do, this is all just hot air for the TC-Twitter circle-jerk. Serious story? So you asked when they’re filing the lawsuit due to Twitter having been “libeled” by VW? Unless they do, this is all just hot air for the TC-Twitter circle-jerk.

]]> By: nemrut http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/14/story-of-the-government-having-twitter-data-access-is-bullshit-say-co-founder/comment-page-1/#comment-2856846 nemrut Wed, 15 Jul 2009 05:52:34 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=83159#comment-2856846 ..what is the Biz all worked up about if it isnt true...and none of that brand integrity bs. anyone w/half a brain knows that the gov't is monitoring all Internet traffic and can gain access to anyone's private data at a drop the drop of a hat. ..what is the Biz all worked up about if it isnt true…and none of that brand integrity bs. anyone w/half a brain knows that the gov’t is monitoring all Internet traffic and can gain access to anyone’s private data at a drop the drop of a hat.

]]> By: Google http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/14/story-of-the-government-having-twitter-data-access-is-bullshit-say-co-founder/comment-page-1/#comment-2856836 Google Wed, 15 Jul 2009 05:38:57 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=83159#comment-2856836 It would be more logical for the governent to access Google data - the Goog knows pretty much all about us. It would be more logical for the governent to access Google data – the Goog knows pretty much all about us.

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