Since the revelations brought by Edward Snowden and his leaks regarding the NSA spying programs PRISM and now MUSCULAR, the NSA has seen a dramatic increase in the number of requests that is receiving from private citizens.
According to numbers from USA Today, the request have skyrocketed and now individuals are failing to have their requests answered.
The type of requests the agency is receiving increased numbers are what is known as an “open-records requests.” These requests are generally tailored, often by necessity, to request that any and all information collected by a government agency regarding an individual be provided to that individual.
The unfortunate aspect of these requests is that they may be subject to charges which will prove prohibitive to individuals of meager means obtaining copies of the information that the government has collected on them.
If they can afford the charges associated with the request, these individuals are often issued a flat denial from the respective agency. Once denied, these people only alternative is to appeal the agencies decision in court – a process that can be both long and expensive.
Even though these requests may not be yielding results for the individuals making the requests, the dramatic increase in number and the difficulty that the NSA is having in handling them showcase something. The American people have an interest in the information that whistleblower Edward Snowden has provided.
Joshua is a writer and researcher with Ring of Fire. You can follow him on Twitter @Joshual33.
