--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The NSA is forbidden to 'target' American…" description: "\"The NSA is forbidden to 'target' American citizens, green-card holders or companies for surveillance without an individual warrant from a judge.\" — Bar..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62b/barton-gellman-3126_american_the-nsa-is-forbidden-to-target-american_2686572.jpg" --- # The NSA is forbidden to 'target' American citizens… ![“The NSA is forbidden to 'target' American citizens, green-card holders or companies for surveillance without an individual warrant from a judge.” quote by Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62b/barton-gellman-3126_american_the-nsa-is-forbidden-to-target-american_2686572.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62b/barton-gellman-3126_american_the-nsa-is-forbidden-to-target-american_2686572.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62b/barton-gellman-3126_american_the-nsa-is-forbidden-to-target-american_2686572.jpg) > “The NSA is forbidden to 'target' American citizens, green-card holders or companies for surveillance without an individual warrant from a judge.” [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. NSA surveillance requires a warrant for U.S. persons, limiting direct targeting. **In simple terms:** NSA can’t target Americans without a warrant. Key Takeaway Advocate for strong oversight of surveillance. Themes privacy law government oversight Mood concerned informed Type journalistic legal When to use this quote - policy advocacy - journalistic reporting - legal reform Key Concepts civil liberties legal constraints Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards protect citizen privacy? - How effective are current warrant requirements? A Different Perspective Surveillance can still be indirect. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-citizens/) [Companies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/companies/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Surveillance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surveillance/) ## Related quotes > [Let's say tomorrow that there was a president, that we elected a president that eliminated the bulk collection of data. Let's just say it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/let-s-say-tomorrow-that-there-was-a-president-that-we-elected-a/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [The Obama administration has provided almost no public information about the NSA's compliance record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/the-obama-administration-has-provided-almost-no-public-information/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [I have no evidence of any relationship between IRS and NSA.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/i-have-no-evidence-of-any-relationship-between-irs-and-nsa/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [There is no reliable way to calculate from the number of recorded compliance issues how many Americans have had their communications improperly collected, stored…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/there-is-no-reliable-way-to-calculate-from-the-number-of-recorded/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [The NSA has different reporting requirements for each branch of government and each of its legal authorities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/the-nsa-has-different-reporting-requirements-for-each-branch-of/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [The NSA's business is 'information dominance,' the use of other people's secrets to shape events.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/the-nsa-s-business-is-information-dominance-the-use-of-other-people-s/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [NSA surveillance is a complex subject - legally, technically and operationally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/nsa-surveillance-is-a-complex-subject-legally-technically-and/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [The causes and severity of NSA infractions vary widely. One in 10 incidents is attributed to a typographical error in which an analyst enters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/the-causes-and-severity-of-nsa-infractions-vary-widely-one-in-10/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [As digital communications have multiplied, and NSA capabilities with them, the agency has shifted resources from surveillance of individual targets to the acquisition of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/as-digital-communications-have-multiplied-and-nsa-capabilities-with/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [Snowden grants that NSA employees by and large believe in their mission and trust the agency to handle the secrets it takes from ordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/snowden-grants-that-nsa-employees-by-and-large-believe-in-their/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [There's a long history of private-company cooperation with the NSA that dates back to at least the 1970s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/there-s-a-long-history-of-private-company-cooperation-with-the-nsa/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [In the urgent aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001, with more attacks thought to be imminent, analysts wanted to use 'contact chaining' techniques to build…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/in-the-urgent-aftermath-of-sept-11-2001-with-more-attacks-thought-to/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [For months, Obama administration officials attacked Snowden's motives and said the work of the NSA was distorted by selective leaks and misinterpretations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/for-months-obama-administration-officials-attacked-snowden-s-motives/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [In the US, you even lose legal rights if you store your data in a company's machines instead of your own. The police need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/in-the-us-you-even-lose-legal-rights-if-you-store-your-data-in-a/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [“For another thing, we’re under martial law, so I can do very nearly whatever the fuck I want. Including march through your precious little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/for-another-thing-we-re-under-martial-law-so-i-can-do-very-nearly/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) ## More by Barton Gellman > [On March 12, 2004, acting attorney general James B. Comey and the Justice Department's top leadership reached the brink of resignation over electronic surveillance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/on-march-12-2004-acting-attorney-general-james-b-comey-and-the/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [For political and bureaucratic reasons, governments at all levels are telling far less to the public than to insiders about how to prepare for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/for-political-and-bureaucratic-reasons-governments-at-all-levels-are/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [Searches of al Qaeda sites in Afghanistan, undertaken since American-backed forces took control there, are not known to have turned up a significant cache…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/searches-of-al-qaeda-sites-in-afghanistan-undertaken-since-american/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [I don't think Cheney started off in 2000 with a burning desire to become vice-president. 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