AT&T Finds Their Involvement With Warrantless Wiretapping Comical…

June 30, 2008

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If you follow politics even in the slightest bit then there is a better then good chance you are fully aware of the ongoing debate in Washington regarding the use of warrantless wiretapping, a practice that George Bush and his right wing faithful have been relentlessly pushing - and having a surprising amount of success doing so.

The NSA warrantless surveillance controversy concerns surveillance of persons within the United States incident to the collection of foreign intelligence by the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) as part of the war on terror. Under this program, referred to by the Bush administration as the “terrorist surveillance program”, the NSA is authorized by executive order to monitor, without warrants, phone calls, e-mails, Internet activity, and text messaging, and other communication involving any party believed by the NSA to be outside the U.S., even if the other end of the communication lies within the U.S.

It goes without saying that this program has harsh critics, who in this case are on the winning side of the argument - that is fundamentally. I say this only because for some reason, this program that literally tramples on the most basic of civil liberties, continues to get the “OK” from members of Congress.

Anyways, part of the Presidents “warrantless wiretapping” program includes complete immunity from any current, or future legal repercussions for companies that work hand in hand with the government in the interception of phone calls. One of the companies who have been among the most active in aiding the NSA in their fundamentally illegal practice is AT&T, who apparently find the whole situation both comical, and an effective tool for marketing their product (don’t ask me why).

The image on the right is a screen shot which shows a new gimmick AT&T is running with. Here is the description of how this advertisement was initially stumbled upon, and where AT&T is using it in regards to their online billing system:

“I, unfortunately, have an AT&T cell phone. I check my bill every few weeks. Today, I went to log in, and was greeted by a terrific new advertisement for their online billing system. It’s as if their marketing department thinks that warrantless wiretapping is funny or something.”

All I have to say about AT&T and this tasteless display of “satire”, if you can even call it that.. Oh well, I don’t use their services for anything, and I don’t plan on it in the future either. Hopefully who ever lost decided on this loses their job - if not for the actual content, then for the horrible marketing of an online bill pay system that for all conventional purposes is probably pretty efficient.