PRISM

Quick Facts: Who was PRISM?

Subject:

PRISM

Known for:

NSA program collecting internet communications from major U.S. tech companies.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

PRISM is a code name for a program under which the United States National Security Agency (NSA) collects internet communications from various U.S. internet companies. The program is also known by the SIGAD US-984XN. PRISM collects stored internet communications based on demands made to internet companies such as Google and Apple under Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 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 internet backbone, 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 Protect America Act under the Bush Administration.

Career & Major Achievements

The program is operated under the supervision of the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA Court, or FISC) pursuant to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Its existence was leaked six years later by NSA contractor Edward Snowden, 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 The Guardian and The Washington Post on June 6, 2013. Subsequent documents have demonstrated a financial arrangement between the NSA's Special Source Operations (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 FISA Court had been ordering a subsidiary of telecommunications company Verizon Communications to turn over to the NSA the logs tracking all of its customers' telephone calls.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

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 warrant. They additionally claim that the program has helped to prevent acts of terrorism, and that it receives independent oversight from the federal government's executive, judicial and legislative branches. On June 19, 2013, U.S. president Barack Obama, 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". Edward Snowden publicly revealed the existence of PRISM through a series of classified documents leaked to journalists of The Washington Post and The Guardian while he was an NSA contractor at the time, thus fleeing to Hong Kong. The leaked documents included 41 PowerPoint slides, four of which were published in news articles.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 2007: 2007 Milestone — PRISM began in 2007 in the wake of the passage of the Protect America Act under the Bush Administration.
2. 2008: 2008 Milestone — PRISM collects stored internet communications based on demands made to internet companies such as Google and Apple under Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 to turn over any data that match court-approved search terms.
3. 2013: 2013 Milestone — The disclosures were published by The Guardian and The Washington Post on June 6, 2013.

Notable Quotes by PRISM

“The NSA's data gathering practices constitute "a circumscribed, narrow system directed at us being able to protect our people".” (2013)

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: PRISM

True or False: “PRISM was initially established as a direct replacement for the Terrorist Surveillance Program without any legal challenges.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The preceding Terrorist Surveillance Program was widely criticized and challenged as illegal because it did not include warrants obtained from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Ahn Jae-hwan — Historical peer (Died in 2008) (2008): South Korean actor known for roles in films like Beautiful Temptation and Show Show Show.
• Aimé Césaire — Historical peer (Died in 2008) (2008): Afro-Martinican poet, politician, and founder of the Négritude movement.
• Al Oerter — Historical peer (Died in 2007) (2007): Four-time Olympic champion in the discus throw, pioneering athletic consistency.
• Albert Ellis — Historical peer (Died in 2007) (2007): Pioneering figure in psychotherapy, founder of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)
• Aaron Swartz — Historical peer (Died in 2013) (2013): Pioneering programmer, activist, and hacktivist known for RSS, Markdown, and progressive organizing.
• Ada Louise Huxtable — Historical peer (Died in 2013) (2013): Pioneering American architecture critic who elevated urban design to public discourse.

Frequently Asked Questions about PRISM