The NSA is spying on Angry Birds.

According to dozens of previously undisclosed British intelligence documents, government spies may be exploiting popular apps to get their hands on our personal data. And – they've been doing it since at least 2007. Smart phone applications collect an amazing amount of our personal data – like our age, sex, and location – and intelligence agencies were delighted to find what they called a “Golden Nugget” of information.

While the scale and the details of this program at not completely clear, these documents show that the NSA and its British counterpart routinely collect information from apps, and and the data can be as personal as a user's political alignment or sexual orientation. Once again, we learn through leaked documents that our personal data is being spied on, and that our privacy is under attack.

When other government spying programs have been disclosed, agency officials have argued that data collection is necessary to keep us safe. It will be difficult to defend this program, because it's unlikely that international terrorists sit around playing Angry Birds.

Americans and people around the world are already furious over government spying programs, and this news isn't going to make anyone feel more secure about using their phones. It's going to take a massive movement to end government spying without a warrant, and it looks like now even app developers are going to have to get involved in this fight.

Popular blog posts

No blog posts. You can add one!

ADHD: Hunter in a Farmer's World

Thom Hartmann has written a dozen books covering ADD / ADHD - Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder.

Join Thom for his new twice-weekly email newsletters on ADHD, whether it affects you or a member of your family.

Thom's Blog Is On the Move

Hello All

Thom's blog in this space and moving to a new home.

Please follow us across to hartmannreport.com - this will be the only place going forward to read Thom's blog posts and articles.