NOTES TO STUDENTS:

• Most of the sources used for this investigative report were anonymous government officials. Many times officials are willing to speak "off the record" only.
• It is expected that journalists verify the reliability of the sources they are using.
• It is expected that journalists use anonymous sources only with extreme caution and before promising a source confidentiality, verify the following:
  --How much direct knowledge does the source have about whatever he or she is telling you about?
  --What motive might the source have for misleading you, hiding certain information or otherwise "spinning" the story to his or her advantage?

1. What is the NSA? What is its mission?

2. What is the purpose of the NSA's surveillance network?

3. What type of information does the NSA gather through its surveillance program?

4. a) How do NSA officials explain/defend surveillance of U.S. citizens' private communications?
b) How does President Obama defend the program's gathering of private communications? (see para. 26-27)

5. Explain how the information is actually gathered. Be specific. (see para. 5, 8, 16-23)

6. a) What is the purpose of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA)?
b) What is the purpose the FISA Court?

7. A U.S. official interviewed for the article says talks between the government and different telecom companies about what constitutes foreign communications have "been going on for some years," and that some in the industry believe the law is unclear on Internet traffic. "Somebody should enunciate a rule." this person says. Should Congress revise the law? If so, in what way? Explain your answer.

8. One former official said: "If you say, 'We don't want the NSA to be scanning large amounts of traffic,' you're saying you don't want it to do its job." Does he have a point? If so, is it strong enough to allow the program to proceed the way it has been going? Explain your answer.

9. Consider the following facts reported in the article (paragraphs 28-36).

• The NSA surveillance program relies on self-policing. 
• The government is secretly gathering your private information - by mistake, the NSA says. 
• When searching the data, intelligence officials say they are permitted to look only for information related to a "foreign intelligence interest." 
• In practice, the NSA has latitude [flexibility] under that standard, and an American's communication could be read without a warrant, another U.S. official says.

Do you support the NSA's use of this surveillance program as a means to keep U.S. citizens safe?  Explain your answer.