Sceenwriting and the NSA

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  • Sceenwriting and the NSA

    First post here, but I was curious about a something that crossed my mind the other day. I'm not a conspiracy theorist by any means, but I wonder what would happen if writing partners were emailing and calling back and forth about a story plot that was, say about a terrorist attack? Would these things be flagged and the writers tracked for awhile? And further, unless you had credentials of some kind, how would a writer prove it was just a story?

    It's just hypothetical, but I'm curious what you guys think? Could writers communications ever be misinterpreted?

  • #2
    Re: Sceenwriting and the NSA

    No matter what you're doing, if you're not on some kind of watch list, you're living wrong.

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    • #3
      Re: Sceenwriting and the NSA

      It's highly unlikely, but who can say for sure. Look at it this way, if you do end up being sent to some secret government detention center because you were researching your script, it will make a pretty good movie based on a real life story -- assuming you're not just held indefinitely of course.

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      • #4
        Re: Sceenwriting and the NSA

        Yeah, you're pretty much screwed -

        http://banoosh.com/blog/2013/06/11/2...-frighten-you/

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        • #5
          Re: Sceenwriting and the NSA

          With some of the weird things I've searched for (missing nuclear weapons, details on security at government installations, etc) I've always wondered the same thing.
          If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving an infant's life, she will choose to save the infant's life without even considering if there are men on base.
          Dave Barry

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          • #6
            Nsa

            Originally posted by Piratepug View Post
            First post here, but I was curious about a something that crossed my mind the other day. I'm not a conspiracy theorist by any means, but I wonder what would happen if writing partners were emailing and calling back and forth about a story plot that was, say about a terrorist attack? Would these things be flagged and the writers tracked for awhile? And further, unless you had credentials of some kind, how would a writer prove it was just a story?

            It's just hypothetical, but I'm curious what you guys think? Could writers communications ever be misinterpreted?
            Yes.
            JEKYLL & CANADA (free .mp4 download @ Vimeo.com)

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            • #7
              Re: Nsa

              Yes. I think about it with every wild google search I make. I also host a lot of notes documents on the cloud (google drive) so I can add to the same list from my home computer, phone, and work computer. Lots of great terrorism keywords there. Yet the phrase "child porn" seems to make me more uneasy than those.

              I'm also sure my past political activism wouldn't do me any favors with the government either.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Sceenwriting and the NSA

                Originally posted by sherbetbizarre View Post
                As for that linked page - Boo-friggin'-hoo.

                As for OP - Is it possible? Yes. But consider how many people IN THE WORLD might be e-mailing that sort of stuff every day. If NSA's system snagged everyone who simply used certain watchlist words in e-mails, its system would be worthless because there'd be too many leads to follow.

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                • #9
                  Re: Sceenwriting and the NSA

                  Honestly, on reflection, I don't really see why so many people are uppity about this. I mean the privacy invasion aspect, sure, but somehow I just can't bother. More like I feel sorry for whatever poor bastard has to listen to the wiretap on me and the three hour singalongs I do.

                  If I ever actually had confirmation that my car was bugged or something, it'd be worse because I'd have a new best friend. One month of that and whatever government spook was listening to me would have his own gun in his mouth.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Sceenwriting and the NSA

                    Originally posted by Piratepug View Post
                    First post here, but I was curious about a something that crossed my mind the other day. I'm not a conspiracy theorist by any means, but I wonder what would happen if writing partners were emailing and calling back and forth about a story plot that was, say about a terrorist attack? Would these things be flagged and the writers tracked for awhile? And further, unless you had credentials of some kind, how would a writer prove it was just a story?

                    It's just hypothetical, but I'm curious what you guys think? Could writers communications ever be misinterpreted?
                    There's a writer on the Zoetrope forum who received a visit from a FBI agent after researching _____ making. (You can figure it out).

                    It all came to naught, but I'm sure her name is on a list.

                    Also, the NSA is building a huge data center in Bluffdale, Utah.

                    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah_Data_Center
                    Last edited by kenklmn; 06-11-2013, 06:09 PM. Reason: adding a link

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                    • #11
                      Re: Sceenwriting and the NSA

                      Originally posted by Piratepug View Post
                      Could writers communications ever be misinterpreted?
                      Ever read the Mad Men thread? We can't agree on ANYTHING that writers' room does - and we're other writers!

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                      • #12
                        Re: Sceenwriting and the NSA

                        Originally posted by Vance View Post
                        Honestly, on reflection, I don't really see why so many people are uppity about this. I mean the privacy invasion aspect, sure, but somehow I just can't bother. More like I feel sorry for whatever poor bastard has to listen to the wiretap on me and the three hour singalongs I do.

                        If I ever actually had confirmation that my car was bugged or something, it'd be worse because I'd have a new best friend. One month of that and whatever government spook was listening to me would have his own gun in his mouth.
                        Given the policies of this board (no politics), I don't mean to get into a debate, but I'd like to provide the reasoning people are "uppity" about this.

                        They view the "Just don't have anything to hide" argument as naive. If you have any political opinions, you have something to hide from a government with unchecked ability to spy on all your communications. It gives a small group of elites extra potential for power over opposition/rivals. Many of whom could be susceptible to blackmail, trumped up charges, or possibly the indefinite detention or targeted assassination we are so recently fond of. Doesn't seem likely today, but today's world is by no means indicative of the future. What starts with good intentions is capable of abuse. It could come slowly, not at all, or flip on like a switch.

                        Furthermore, I highly suggest this article for a complete perspective, which even addresses the potential harm for writers:
                        http://chronicle.com/article/Why-Pri...ven-if/127461/

                        Not looking for a debate.

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                        • #13
                          Re: Sceenwriting and the NSA

                          I don't intend to lose sleep over it, I just had one of those "what if" moments and thought I'd toss it out here.

                          I couldn't honestly tell you what they'd find if they looked at my Google history. Although I did kind of wonder once, when I was researching bank robberies, how that might look.

                          Oh and I wasn't intending to infer any politics.

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                          • #14
                            Re: Nsa

                            Originally posted by jboffer View Post
                            Yes. I think about it with every wild google search I make... Yet the phrase "child porn" seems to make me more uneasy than those.
                            I know!

                            I wouldn't mind if some suits knocked at my door and asked about why I'd been looking up how to make bombs, place someone else's fingerprints at a scene or sending e-mails containing words such as anthrax, but I've read a few stories now where men have been falsely imprisoned after some mysterious individual placed child porn on their PC and that idea scares me shitless.

                            Is it even possible?

                            Like I wrote: I'll look up bombs, but how to remotely place child porn on someone's computer? No chance!

                            Actually, now that I think about it, if suits knocked at my door with suspicions as to my online activities, they'd take my computer... so yeah, I guess it would bother me.


                            Lesson to O.P.: finish your scripts, because if someone ever comes calling, you'll be able to show them your screenplays and have a good reason for looking up what they caught you reading.
                            Cufk, Tish, Sips.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Sceenwriting and the NSA

                              Several academics here were "investigated" because of research they were doing. They were experts on international terrorism. Needless to say, they've been to some very dodgy sites and posed some pretty challenging questions over the years. But they're very well known experts on terrorism, widely published and recognised.

                              They felt like they were being harassed. One of them changed fields because of the harassment.

                              I think we're in a lot of trouble if we scare away people whose very purpose is to better understand terrorism and terrorists.

                              Not quite the same thing, but the point is, key words can trigger unwanted - and unwarranted - attention.
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