SOURCE: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-watch/wp/2016/03/10/surprise-nsa-data-will-soon-routinely-be-used-for-domestic-policing-that-has-nothing-to-do-with-terrorism/

A while back, we noted a report showing that the “sneak-and-peek” provision of the Patriot Act that was alleged to be used only in national security and terrorism investigations has overwhelmingly been used in narcotics cases. Now the New York Times reports that National Security Agency data will be shared with other intelligence agencies like the FBI without first applying any screens for privacy. The ACLU of Massachusetts blog Privacy SOS explains why this is important:

What does this rule change mean for you? In short, domestic law enforcement officials now have access to huge troves of American communications, obtained without warrants, that they can use to put people in cages. FBI agents don’t need to have any “national security” related reason to plug your name, email address, phone number, or other “selector” into the NSA’s gargantuan data trove. They can simply poke around in your private information in the course of totally routine investigations. And if they find something that suggests, say, involvement in illegal drug activity, they can send that information to local or state police. That means information the NSA collects for purposes of so-called “national security” will be used by police to lock up ordinary Americans for routine crimes. And we don’t have to guess who’s going to suffer this unconstitutional indignity the most brutally. It’ll be Black, Brown, poor, immigrant, Muslim, and dissident Americans: the same people who are always targeted by law enforcement for extra “special” attention.

This basically formalizes what was already happening under the radar. We’ve known for a couple of years now that the Drug Enforcement Administration and the IRS were getting information from the NSA. Because that information was obtained without a warrant, the agencies were instructed to engage in “parallel construction” when explaining to courts and defense attorneys how the information had been obtained. If you think parallel construction just sounds like a bureaucratically sterilized way of saying big stinking lie, well, you wouldn’t be alone. And it certainly isn’t the only time that that national security apparatus has let law enforcement agencies benefit from policies that are supposed to be reserved for terrorism investigations in order to get around the Fourth Amendment, then instructed those law enforcement agencies to misdirect, fudge and outright lie about how they obtained incriminating information — see the Stingray debacle. This isn’t just a few rogue agents. The lying has been a matter of policy. We’re now learning that the feds had these agreements with police agencies all over the country, affecting thousands of cases.

On the one hand, I guess it’s better that this new data-sharing policy is acknowledged in the open instead of carried out surreptitiously. On the other hand, there’s something even more ominous about the fact that they no longer feel as though they need to hide it.

It’s all another sobering reminder that any powers we grant to the federal government for the purpose of national security will inevitably be used just about everywhere else. And extraordinary powers we grant government in wartime rarely go away once the war is over. And, of course, the nifty thing for government agencies about a “war on terrorism” is that it’s a war that will never formally end.

TL;DR
If you say anything that can be preceived as a crime via any electronic service (email, text, etc) you could possibly be arrest. This has nothing to do with The Patriot Acts initial purpose, but was very much expected at some point.

The war on terrorism (an idea) is much like the war on drugs, never-ending, far reaching, and a complete waste of tax payer dollars.

This is searching without a warrant, a blatant constitutional violation.

A new phishing link is going around. Usually to a site called linkmax dot ru.

Targeting CS:GO players mostly.

Just incase you're a ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ idiot.(Thats a bit harsh but this is very important.)

Do NOT download Lizard Squad's DDoS program. [Lizard Stresser]

It will turn your PC into a zombie. (I'm not joking and this isn't the type of zombie we find in games.)

Lizard Squad are not hackers, they are peons. Any maroon can watch a youtube video and 'learn' how to do what they did. The US government needs to stop calling these piss stain know-nothings 'hackers' and stop using fear-mongering words like 'Cyber-Terrorists' to describe them.

Their 'attack' is in no way revealing breaches in security. It's the equivalent of holding open an unlocked door and letting millions of slow as molasses walker weilding grandmothers in until the system can't handle the traffic and shuts down.

This is the kind of gross missunderstanding that leads to acts like SOPA PIPA et cetera.

And setting up hundreds of 20kbs relays in tor shows just how low their level of competence is and just screams "WAAA WAAA I want attention BOO WHO look at me!!!"


TL;DR
All of your information stored on these networks is safe. The kids behind these acts couldn't hack their way out of tall grass with a fully gased lawnmower.


EDIT: Screech with a knife is far more dangerous and damaging then anything the bib wearing lizard squad could do.

A few tips.

- Keep an eye on your wallets and inventories. They seem to take a lot of the popular games, CSGO and the like, I would advise using these now So they can't get stolen. I would also not keep a large ammount of money in your wallet.

- May be a good time to upgrade that password. I'm not sure how but they claim to have stolen quite a few accounts.


I'll be adding more to this, I want to add a few steps to help secure your accounts.

EDIT1

IMPORTANT!

Make sure your account has the 'Save my information' box unchecked for check outs. You don't want anyone getting ahold of your CC#'s.


IF YOU USE ONLY ONE PC TO PLAY ON STEAM.

I would also recommend going into SETTINGS and selecting the 'MANAGE STEAM GAURD ACCOUNT SECURITY..." and putting a check next to 'Deauthorize all other computers now." This doesn't allow other PCs access without access to your email. SO...

CHANGE THAT EMAIL PASSWORD (ESPECIALLY IF ITS THE SAME AS YOUR STEAM PASWORD!)

If both of them are Bubbles123, Cahnge both to something completely different from eachother. Something like "J3ff03++11AWOL" or "7138Drag0n.Sk1llz" Numbers, CAP and low letters, and symbols. And try to use the maximum allowed characters.

Write these down in a little notebook. An in real life notebook, not a digital one. Something a hacker can never get to. Keep it near your computer for fast reference.

Aside, this is also a good way to remember words you find difficult to spell.

I know there is a way to get a textmessage anytime someone accesses your account, I'll look this up and post, Or if someone finds it, post in the comments and I'll add. Hell anything you find you think I could add, please share.


BASICS

Never use a password more then once, especially if you use the same handle for multiply sites. So this;
Steamname: TimmyChair PW: Bubbles123
Email: TimmyChair@stupid.com PW: Bubbles123
Can't change the name on steam but you can change emails, you just need to re-verify.

EDIT1 done.

EDIT2

This is what you want to look for and make sure is unchecked when you go to the payout screen. (Used for everything but from wallet purchases.)


**Payment method**

"Save my payment information so checkout is easy next time" Make sure this line is unchecked.


WORK IN PROGRESS