NSA and CIA operatives have determined that online role-playing games are opportune platforms on which to conduct terrorist acts or plots. Intelligence agencies have determined with some revelation that online games are becoming more and more prominent, and due to the anonymous nature of such games, and the ways that violence already pervade in them and their culture, video games are ideal for creating terrorist plots. With agents in these online worlds searching for seeds of terrorism or domestic/international threats, (or perhaps just getting their Death Knights to level 90) can we maintain our sense of privacy? Internet culture with respect to gaming often features brutal and violent personalities, for the veil of the computer screen and miles of distance make it easy to antagonize people--you likely won't feel any repercussions. Still, there are some who play to entertain themselves or meet other like-minded individuals. While many speak on the internet without carefully considering their words, and likely don't care how they offend others, they may find the federal government knocking at their doors. What may be intended as a tasteless joke in a competitive gaming scenario may be misinterpreted as a threat to national security.
While the government probably will not misinterpret "im gonna kill u" said by sk8rboi420 to be a glimpse into the psyche of a rampant murderer, the frequency at which violence is discussed in video games today makes it nearly impossible to distinguish what is real and what is a waste of time. Are NSA agents looking to lounge around and play World of Warcraft while collecting their paychecks? Or are there really Dwarven Engineers who may be engineering plots against the government? Regardless of whether or not the national government uncovers terrorism in the World of Warcraft, they have drawn some ground-breaking conclusions such as "players under age 18 often used all capital letters both in chat messages and in their avatar names."
Author: Andrew W. LehrenCNN--Snowden Condemns NSA
Snowden attacks the NSA’s actions as offensive and shocking. In a letter to a German magazine, Snowden vividly describes how objections to government surveillance, which prompted many other national governments to conduct their own investigations.
Author: Chelsea J. Carter & Susanna CapeloutoWashington Post--NSA Intelligence Gathering
Washington Post puts the magnitude of the surveillance into perspective by claiming that the NSA gains billions of phone records every day with information on the whereabouts of phones and mobile devices. NSA agents attempt to hide the sheer number of documents collected, as well as other figures.
Author: Julie Tate
I agree that it is extremely hard for the NSA to distinguish whether or not virtual banter is an actual threat to national security or simply banter. As an occasional video game player I would say almost the entirety of what it is said in a game chat room or mic party is just people talking trash. People say stupid things when the person they are talking to cannot see them or make direct contact with. They are tempted to say racier stuff because there will be no repercussions. The NSA should realize that the majority of what is said in the gaming world is bark with no bite. Don't get me wrong, if a gamer says "I'm fed up with our government and I am going to assault the capital building", search him in a heartbeat. But don't make stupid banter more than what it is.
ReplyDeleteYour publication reminded me strongly of "Marcus AP Comp"'s publication. While you didn't argue personally with the validity or constitutionality of the NSA scandal, you raised the question, "How far will the government go?" I don't believe that intelligence gained over World of Warcraft has led to the fall of very many terrorist cells, if it has led to the fall of even a single national security threat then it has succeeded. However, you raise the point that many violent and regretful things are said on the internet and that if someone is spying on those comments they have to be taken with more than just a grain of salt.
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