AT&T’s For-Profit Spying Program Puts Twitter Users on War Footing
The Twitterverse is pissed because of news uncovered by The Daily Beast of a secret AT&T program called Project Hemisphere that searches millions of call records and analyzes cellular data to help law enforcement spy on Americans — for profit.
The surveillance project comes to light as the company is on the verge of acquiring Time Warner in one of the biggest media mergers in history. Law enforcement agencies pay from $100,000 to over $1 million a year for Hemisphere access, according to the Beast.
Daily Beast reporter Betsy Woodruff tweeted the article with the message, “Read this read this read this read this,” and one follower who replied called it “pretty terrifying.” Another user tweeted, “This is why AT&T will be allowed to become a monopoly, which used to be illegal.”
Also Read: AT&T Secretly Selling Customers' Data to Law Enforcement
When TheWrap reached out to AT&T for comment, the telecommunications giant sent back a statement taking the position that the company is simply complying with the law.
“Like other communications companies, if a government agency seeks customer call records through a subpoena, court order or other mandatory legal process, we are required by law to provide this non-content information, such as the phone numbers and the date and time of calls,” a spokesperson said. “These types of legal demands are referenced in the law enforcement section of our Transparency Report.”
AT&T’s statement isn’t going to change the minds of angry customers on Twitter, who immediately took to the social media service to voice displeasure.
Check out some of the reaction:
The so called "Freedom Act" legalized Mass Surveillance which the Patriot Act failed to do https://t.co/dNetAOjVZ1
AT&T Is Spying pic.twitter.com/fSrUitgdkO— Ian56 (@Ian56789) October 25, 2016
You should probably know about AT&T's Project Hemisphere https://t.co/SMo8eWoJuB #ATTIsSpying pic.twitter.com/4cQhocdvaD
— Colin Jones (@colinjones) October 25, 2016
AT&T is spying on our citizens. TimeWarner provides propaganda that makes them accepting of it. Why not merge them? https://t.co/YHlBd0XUdX
— U.S. Dept. of Fear (@FearDept) October 25, 2016
AT&T Is Spying. So is the government pic.twitter.com/A20sOKj5YG
— ♫ Adriano&Paulina ♫ (@keet0007) October 25, 2016
Here's some of the spy services AT&T offers law enforcement https://t.co/F9TuWcupG7 pic.twitter.com/9wUGVxlvLG
— Justin Miller (@justinjm1) October 25, 2016
@TheCarbonator @DRUDGE_REPORT @thedailybeast Need to cancel ATT service.
— TRUMP-AMERICA FIRST (@trump_first) October 25, 2016
@DRUDGE_REPORT @thedailybeast The spying partnership between government & corporate entities is a clear & present threat to our liberty.
— Lennart W. (@lennartlive) October 25, 2016
Are you an AT&T customer? You send money every month to a company that relentlessly stores and sells personal info. https://t.co/PBrx4fumIN
— Dan Gillmor (@dangillmor) October 25, 2016
If AT&T Is Spying, I have to issue an official apology for how boring I am. No one should be forced to filter through my mess of a life.
— Brandon Cloud (@theclobra) October 25, 2016
AT&T's Hemisphere = warrantless tool secretly sold to law enforcement to crack fraud/narc/homicides. @kennethlipp https://t.co/Kk2frhUJL4
— M.L. Nestel (@mlnestel) October 25, 2016
Sure, AT&T is spying on American citizens for profit, but let's be serious,
who isn't?
— x33xc0 (@0x00string) October 25, 2016
I've said it before and I'll say it again: #encrypt everything, even if you believe you have nothing to hide. https://t.co/jzvQcy275i
— Nik Bougalis (@nbougalis) October 25, 2016
@politico time warner tying into AT&T is the start towards home monitoring unbeknownst 2 the cable viewers(spying)
— kenneth cross (@ComKennethcross) October 22, 2016
AT&T is Spying as so is #Google and #Twitter and #Facebook pic.twitter.com/IfWoiLaMqA
— Steven M. Claiborne (@deltapoet) October 25, 2016
Related stories from TheWrap:
AT&T Secretly Selling Customers' Data to Law Enforcement
AT&T-Time Warner Merger: What Will It Mean for HBO? (Analysis)
AT&T-Time Warner Deal: 5 Big Things to Know About the Proposed Merger