Hours ahead of Obama`s speech this Friday on NSA`s future, The Guardian Newspaper revealed that the agency gathers around 200 million SMS messages on a global scale everyday.

The Snowden-NSA Saga Continues

Investigation was led by both The Guardian and UK`s Channel 4 News from 2011 documents provided by Edward Snowden and titled “SMS Text Messages: A Goldmine to Exploit’. Secret file show that, the National Security Agency (NSA) carries illicit activity under codenamed ‘Dishfire’, to gather hundreds of millions of text messages daily. Massive troves of information stored are then scanned to extract locations, financial transactions and contact networks of individuals. Further details fleshed out highlight the type of communications intercepted; it includes missed call alerts and texts received by people informing them on international roaming charges.

Everybody is Concerned

In paper-article, The Guardian qualifies bulk data collected by the agency as ‘untargeted’ since the NSA swallows anything it can put its hands on and everyone is concerned. The documents also provide evidence that UK spy agency GCHQ was given access to NSA`s database to track people in Britain.

NSA`s Reply

GCHQ was quick to reply in a statement, saying that “All of GCHQ’s work is carried out in accordance with the strict legal and policy framework which ensures that our activities are authorised, necessary and proportionate and that there is rigorous oversight”.

On the other hand, NSA`s long awaited riposte came later on Thursday – “NSA’s activities are focused and specifically deployed against — and only against — valid foreign intelligence targets in response to intelligence requirements” the agency`s spokesperson said to The Guardian.

American leading tech companies hurt by Snowden`s summer revelations on NSA spying activities, urged Obama to bring reforms in an open letter last year. US President will finally come on stage on Friday and this time the whole world is watching and expecting immediate reforms in the name of privacy.

Source: The Guardian

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