Upstream Collection
Ever since Edward Snowden leaked information about private security the NSA has been public enemy number one among many website owners, journalists, and citizens alike. The Wikimedia Foundation (owner of the online encyclopedia Wikipedia) is just the latest to take on the fight against the NSA over the matter of upstream collection, but what exactly is upstream collection?
Upstream collection is the NSA’s literal collection of internet and telephone activity from users all over the world. Every time we use the internet, for anything from looking up a recipe to sending an email, our activity is being tracked and recorded by the National Security Agency. This concept scares and angers many Americans who feel that there rights are being violated.
According to this article by the Washington Post the NSA uses two programs simultaneously in order to collect the information from our computers and phones. PRISM, one of the programs involved, takes information directly from technology companies like Microsoft and Google in order to follow about 75% of the internet activity happening on a daily basis.
The founder’s of Wikipedia, Jimmy Wales and Lila Tretikov, have filed this lawsuit against the NSA because they say that it directly violates citizens’ right to privacy as well as their First Amendment right of freedom of expression. They argue that part of the appeal of Wikipedia is a user’s ability to write, edit, and search anonymously. They go on to say that if people are aware that their internet activity is being “watched,” then they could be less inclined to engage with the website, thus violating their right to freedom of expression.
Speaking as a person who isn’t always comfortable sharing her thoughts in front of large groups of people, I believe that privacy is essential to making sure that everyone’s voice is heard, and ultimately creating progress. It is not always the loudest person who makes the best point, and a person who may be to scared to share their idea could quite possibly be the person with the next great discovery. The anonymity of the internet provides a protection for people who may not be comfortable sharing their ideas, and often leads to a new opinion that would not otherwise be heard. Taking away this shield limits thoughts, and as such limits possibility.
