PRISM

PRISM is a <a href="/facts/Code_name/MRq0mo4b">code name</a> for a program under which the United States <a href="/facts/National_Security_Agency/Sg6MGV1o">National Security Agency</a> (NSA) collects <a href="/facts/Internet/Xw1rVvJU">internet</a> communications from various U.S. internet companies. The program is also known by the <a href="/facts/SIGINT_Activity_Designator/DI9vIo8u">SIGAD</a> US-984XN. PRISM collects stored internet communications based on demands made to internet companies such as <a href="/facts/Google_LLC/GT9Sugza">Google LLC</a> and <a href="/facts/Apple_Inc./oTJYta3k">Apple</a> under Section 702 of the <a href="/facts/FISA_Amendments_Act_of_2008/joww7bqz">FISA Amendments Act of 2008</a> to turn over any data that match court-approved search terms. Among other things, the NSA can use these PRISM requests to target communications that were encrypted when they traveled across the <a href="/facts/Internet_backbone/osqxo7y2">internet backbone</a>, to focus on stored data that telecommunication filtering systems discarded earlier, and to get data that is easier to handle.
PRISM began in 2007 in the wake of the passage of the <a href="/facts/Protect_America_Act/0MyJAIIg">Protect America Act</a> under the <a href="/facts/Presidency_of_George_W._Bush/n3TPjCeF">Bush Administration</a>. The program is operated under the supervision of the <a href="/facts/United_States_Foreign_Intelligence_Surveillance_Court/fvvHKJ8I">U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court</a> (FISA Court, or FISC) pursuant to the <a href="/facts/Foreign_Intelligence_Surveillance_Act/L3QvUyIS">Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act</a> (FISA). Its existence was leaked six years later by NSA contractor <a href="/facts/Edward_Snowden/yRDLtpH9">Edward Snowden</a>, who warned that the extent of mass data collection was far greater than the public knew and included what he characterized as "dangerous" and "criminal" activities. The disclosures were published by <a href="/facts/The_Guardian/H84wwJYM">The Guardian</a> and <a href="/facts/The_Washington_Post/dRvzvqJc">The Washington Post</a> on June 6, 2013. Subsequent documents have demonstrated a financial arrangement between the NSA's <a href="/facts/Special_Source_Operations/trtcmeja">Special Source Operations</a> (SSO) division and PRISM partners in the millions of dollars.
Documents indicate that PRISM is "the number one source of raw intelligence used for NSA analytic reports", and it accounts for 91% of the NSA's internet traffic acquired under FISA section 702 authority." The leaked information came after the revelation that the <a href="/facts/United_States_Foreign_Intelligence_Surveillance_Court/fvvHKJ8I">FISA Court</a> had been ordering a subsidiary of telecommunications company <a href="/facts/Verizon_Communications/8WkoRAUM">Verizon Communications</a> to turn over logs tracking all of its customers' telephone calls to the NSA.
U.S. government officials have disputed criticisms of PRISM in the Guardian and Washington Post articles and have defended the program, asserting that it cannot be used on domestic targets without a <a href="/facts/Search_warrant/Dn4yseJt">warrant</a>. Additionally claiming the program has helped to prevent acts of <a href="/facts/Terrorism/DHJGPJ6P">terrorism</a>, and that it receives independent oversight from the federal government's <a href="/facts/U.S._Executive_Branch/VJCxUaf7">executive</a>, <a href="/facts/U.S._Executive_Branch/VJCxUaf7">judicial</a> and <a href="/facts/U.S._Executive_Branch/VJCxUaf7">legislative</a> branches. On June 19, 2013, U.S. President <a href="/facts/Barack_Obama/76wUMgL1">Barack Obama</a>, during a visit to Germany, stated that the NSA's data gathering practices constitute "a circumscribed, narrow system directed at us being able to protect our people."

PRISM open-in-new

PRISM