---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Bulk collection means all of your…"
description: "\"Bulk collection means all of your communications are being secretly intercepted. They are being stolen as they cross India, and they're being stored in..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/edward-snowden-555_agents_bulk-collection-means-all-of-your-commun_441883.jpg"
---

#  Bulk collection means all of your communications are being…

![“Bulk collection means all of your communications are being secretly intercepted. They are being stolen as they cross India, and they're being stored in these silos so that they can be rifled through at the convenience of secret agents, basically.” quote by Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/edward-snowden-555_agents_bulk-collection-means-all-of-your-commun_441883.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/edward-snowden-555_agents_bulk-collection-means-all-of-your-commun_441883.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/edward-snowden-555_agents_bulk-collection-means-all-of-your-commun_441883.jpg)

> “Bulk collection means all of your communications are being secretly intercepted. They are being stolen as they cross India, and they're being stored in these silos so that they can be rifled through at the convenience of secret agents, basically.”

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Mass surveillance intercepts private communications, storing them for later analysis by secret agents.

**In simple terms:** Governments can secretly collect and store your messages.

Key Takeaway

Protect your data with strong encryption.

Themes

privacy surveillance government power

Mood

cautious concerned

Type

warning informative

When to use this quote

- online messaging
- email
- phone calls
- travel
- business communications

Key Concepts

cryptography data security mass monitoring

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you trust your service providers with your data?
- How can you minimize digital footprints?

A Different Perspective

Encryption can be bypassed by sophisticated attackers.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Bulk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bulk/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [India](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/india/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) [Secret agent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret-agent/)

## Related quotes

> [We are not any safer through the bulk collection of all Americans' records.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/we-are-not-any-safer-through-the-bulk-collection-of-all-americans/)

[Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/)

> [We have to call mass surveillance mass surveillance. We can't let governments around the world redefine, and sort of weasel their way out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-have-to-call-mass-surveillance-mass-surveillance-we-can-t-let/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [“The usefulness of the bulk collection program has been greatly exaggerated. We have yet to see any proof that it provides real, unique value…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/the-usefulness-of-the-bulk-collection-program-has-been-greatly/)

[Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/)

> [Bulk collection of phone records didn't find or stop the Tsarnaev brothers from the massacre in Boston. In fact, one might argue that all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/bulk-collection-of-phone-records-didn-t-find-or-stop-the-tsarnaev/)

[Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/)

> [The jazz rhythm won't be understood by the bulk of my audience. That's the problem. We can get away with maybe one tune a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-benson/the-jazz-rhythm-won-t-be-understood-by-the-bulk-of-my-audience-that-s/)

[George Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-benson/)

> [Public-policy-wise, if you want to be consistent, crude oil is a bulk commodity, and you should be able to export it. I would rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shimkus/public-policy-wise-if-you-want-to-be-consistent-crude-oil-is-a-bulk/)

[John Shimkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shimkus/)

> [We live in a world where bulk is equated with quality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/we-live-in-a-world-where-bulk-is-equated-with-quality/)

[Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/)

> [The people that are running the bulk of the comic shops in North America aren't business people and they don't understand sales. They don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-walton/the-people-that-are-running-the-bulk-of-the-comic-shops-in-north/)

[Rob Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-walton/)

> [“bulk, including whole-wheat flour and much-loathed carob chips.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-ray/bulk-including-whole-wheat-flour-and-much-loathed-carob-chips/)

Meg Ray

> [Ah, Scotland. I am three-parts Scottish and terribly proud of it, although maybe we should divide it into eighths, because my two-eighths are Danish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-lumley/ah-scotland-i-am-three-parts-scottish-and-terribly-proud-of-it/)

[Joanna Lumley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-lumley/)

> [I kept getting told, 'You need to bulk up. Burgers and shakes. Burgers and shakes.' That's never been my thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-quaid/i-kept-getting-told-you-need-to-bulk-up-burgers-and-shakes-burgers/)

Jack Quaid

> [The bulk of my input comes from my peers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-weir/the-bulk-of-my-input-comes-from-my-peers/)

[Bob Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-weir/)

> [There are a lot of visual marks that have to be hit, and lines that need to be said in a right way -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-pegg/there-are-a-lot-of-visual-marks-that-have-to-be-hit-and-lines-that/)

[Simon Pegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-pegg/)

> [You know that American dream and American spirit of innovation we always talk about? Turns out, the bulk of it was built by people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lacy/you-know-that-american-dream-and-american-spirit-of-innovation-we/)

[Sarah Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lacy/)

> [If a man begins writing at thirty, by the time he is fifty or sixty, the bulk of his work has been done. By…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-naipaul/if-a-man-begins-writing-at-thirty-by-the-time-he-is-fifty-or-sixty/)

[V. S. Naipaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-naipaul/)

## More by Edward Snowden

> [It is afraid of an informed, angry public demanding the constitutional government it was promised - and it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-is-afraid-of-an-informed-angry-public-demanding-the-constitutional/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [Much of what I saw in Geneva really disillusioned me about how my government functions and what its impact is in the world. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/much-of-what-i-saw-in-geneva-really-disillusioned-me-about-how-my/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [If it comes to a question of law, the charges they brought against me - the Espionage Act - is called the quintessential political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-it-comes-to-a-question-of-law-the-charges-they-brought-against-me/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [The NSA and Israel wrote Stuxnet together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-nsa-and-israel-wrote-stuxnet-together/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [As a general rule, so long as you have any choice at all, you should never route through or peer with the UK under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/as-a-general-rule-so-long-as-you-have-any-choice-at-all-you-should/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [ \[Brazil\] went to the UN and said, "We need new standards for this." We need to take a look at what they're calling "data… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/brazil-went-to-the-un-and-said-we-need-new-standards-for-this-we-need/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [You are also asked to take an oath, and that's the oath of service. The oath of service is not to secrecy, but to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/you-are-also-asked-to-take-an-oath-and-that-s-the-oath-of-service-the/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [We need to think about encryption not as this sort of arcane, black art. It's a basic protection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-need-to-think-about-encryption-not-as-this-sort-of-arcane-black/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [A lot of people in 2008 voted for Obama. I did not vote for him. I voted for a third party. But I believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/a-lot-of-people-in-2008-voted-for-obama-i-did-not-vote-for-him-i/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [Too often we forget that social and political movements don't happen overnight. They don't bring change immediately - you have to build a critical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/too-often-we-forget-that-social-and-political-movements-don-t-happen/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [ There was a real choice when \[Barack Obama\] became president. It was a very difficult choice - to say, "We're not going to hold… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/there-was-a-real-choice-when-barack-obama-became-president-it-was-a/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [We've learned that we've allowed technological capabilities to dictate policies and practices, rather than ensuring that our laws and values guide our technological capabilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-ve-learned-that-we-ve-allowed-technological-capabilities-to/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [It's much easier, I think, to protect communications while they're in transit at least, than it is to enforce legislation in every country in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-s-much-easier-i-think-to-protect-communications-while-they-re-in/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [If an adversary didn't target our power plants but they did target the core routers, the backbones that tie our internet connections together, entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-an-adversary-didn-t-target-our-power-plants-but-they-did-target/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [I care more about the country than what happens to me. But we can't allow the law to become a political weapon or agree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/i-care-more-about-the-country-than-what-happens-to-me-but-we-can-t/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

[Explore all 478 Edward Snowden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

## More Agents quotes

> [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/)

[Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/)

> [ I don't see \[ Trainspotting \] as an albatross, I see it more as a calling card. It's got me out to Hollywood, I've… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-don-t-see-trainspotting-as-an-albatross-i-see-it-more-as-a-calling/)

[Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/)

> [Our attitude towards evil must be freed from hatred, and has itself need to be enlightened in character...Satan rejoices when he succeeds in inspiring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-berdyaev/our-attitude-towards-evil-must-be-freed-from-hatred-and-has-itself/)

[Nikolai Berdyaev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-berdyaev/)

> [We are coming to a place where the road ends. From here on out, we will be making the road as we walk it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-atlee/we-are-coming-to-a-place-where-the-road-ends-from-here-on-out-we-will/)

Tom Atlee

> [Love is the supreme form of communication. In the hierarchy of needs, love stands as the supreme developing agent of the humanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-montagu/love-is-the-supreme-form-of-communication-in-the-hierarchy-of-needs/)

[Ashley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-montagu/)

> [I have always believed that women are not victims, we are agents of change, we are drivers of progress, we are makers of peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-have-always-believed-that-women-are-not-victims-we-are-agents-of/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [Many American TV actors employ agents, managers, business managers, publicists and stylists, and are now adding digital media manager to the list. Their job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-bellman/many-american-tv-actors-employ-agents-managers-business-managers/)

[Gina Bellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-bellman/)

> [The ultimate goal of radical politics is gradually to displace the limit of social exclusions, empowering the excluded agents (sexual and ethnic minorities) by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slavoj-i-ek/the-ultimate-goal-of-radical-politics-is-gradually-to-displace-the/)

[Slavoj Žižek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slavoj-i-ek/)

> [In politics we face the choice between warmongering, nation-state loving, big-business agents on one hand; and risk-blind, top-down, epistemic arrogant big servants of large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/in-politics-we-face-the-choice-between-warmongering-nation-state/)

[Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/)

> [My first job was a film called 'Storm Damage' for the BBC. I was 16 and working with really respected British actors. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-madekwe/my-first-job-was-a-film-called-storm-damage-for-the-bbc-i-was-16-and/)

[Ashley Madekwe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-madekwe/)

> [Government is the agent of those who are too refined to do their own mugging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/government-is-the-agent-of-those-who-are-too-refined-to-do-their-own/)

[Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sobran/)

> [While much of modern behavioral and social science treats individuals as autonomous agents, it is absolutely clear that the way we think and act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-r-nelson/while-much-of-modern-behavioral-and-social-science-treats-individuals/)

Richard R. Nelson

> [People went out there and they wrote articles and went on television shows saying that I am an operative that the CIA who used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/people-went-out-there-and-they-wrote-articles-and-went-on-television/)

[Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/)

> [The chief beneficiary of life insurance policies for young, single people is the life insurance agent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-smith/the-chief-beneficiary-of-life-insurance-policies-for-young-single/)

[Wes Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-smith/)

> [“Honestly,” he says, “I judge writers on how they write queries. If you’re a good writer, you’re a good writer.” And if not, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-gessen/honestly-he-says-i-judge-writers-on-how-they-write-queries-if-you-re/)

[Keith Gessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-gessen/)

Browse all 1,567 Agents quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Bulk collection means all of your communications are being secretly intercepted. They are being stolen as they cross India, and they're being stored in these silos so that they can be rifled through at the convenience of secret agents, basically.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Edward Snowden"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/bulk-collection-means-all-of-your-communications-are-being-secretly/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Agents"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/bulk-collection-means-all-of-your-communications-are-being-secretly/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/edward-snowden-555_agents_bulk-collection-means-all-of-your-commun_441883.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/edward-snowden-555_agents_bulk-collection-means-all-of-your-commun_441883.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/edward-snowden-555_agents_bulk-collection-means-all-of-your-commun_441883.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Bulk collection means all of your communications are being secretly intercepted. They are being stolen as…” — Edward Snowden",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Edward Snowden",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Bulk collection means all of your...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/bulk-collection-means-all-of-your-communications-are-being-secretly/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/bulk-collection-means-all-of-your-communications-are-being-secretly/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
