I'm going to take that article with a pinch of salt until Greenwald shows the evidence. It's entirely possible that a phone tapping technology + the vast new NSA data centre = "the ability to tap a billion calls a day". How many do they actually tap is the operative question here.
The original leaks were compromised by a lack of technical understanding stemming from the presentation slides we all saw, so I'll wait and see what he is basing this claim on first.
It is reasonable to say "why would they build the capacity if they don't intend to use it?" In fact it is reasonable enough given the cost that the onus of "they won't use it to it's fullest" is a claim you have to defend with evidence.
This counter "argument" doesn't pass the laugh test. Building capacity for more than a few years in computer equipment just doesn't make sense. You need to provide evidence for your claim that they are reasonable, and not abusing the power. The evidence exists to conclude the expanded spying program. There is literally 0 evidence for your claims that the extent is not abusive. Therefore you instead must provide evidence for your unbelievable claim.
I would have thought that your "laugh test" would help you realise that I wasn't being serious- the fact that started with "maybe" should also have indicated that I wasn't making a strong suggestion.
The point is, if there is evidence then Greenwald should release it, rather than let us infer meaning from his (previously proven to be technically inaccurate) statements.
There is literally 0 evidence for your claims that the extent is not abusive. Therefore you instead must provide evidence for your unbelievable claim.
No. You are asking me to prove a negative, which is not possible. What I am asking for is proof that it is abusive, something easily provable, especially if you have evidence to hand already.
The original leaks were compromised by a lack of technical understanding stemming from the presentation slides we all saw, so I'll wait and see what he is basing this claim on first.