--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If an NSA, FBI, CIA, DIA, etc analyst has…" description: "\"If an NSA, FBI, CIA, DIA, etc analyst has access to query raw SIGINT databases, they can enter and get results for anything they want. Phone number, em..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fd/edward-snowden-555_access_if-an-nsa-fbi-cia-dia-etc-analyst-has-ac_3218539.jpg" --- # If an NSA, FBI, CIA, DIA, etc analyst has access to query… ![“If an NSA, FBI, CIA, DIA, etc analyst has access to query raw SIGINT databases, they can enter and get results for anything they want. Phone number, email, user id, cell phone handset id (IMEI), and so on - it's all the same.” quote by Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fd/edward-snowden-555_access_if-an-nsa-fbi-cia-dia-etc-analyst-has-ac_3218539.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fd/edward-snowden-555_access_if-an-nsa-fbi-cia-dia-etc-analyst-has-ac_3218539.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fd/edward-snowden-555_access_if-an-nsa-fbi-cia-dia-etc-analyst-has-ac_3218539.jpg) > “If an NSA, FBI, CIA, DIA, etc analyst has access to query raw SIGINT databases, they can enter and get results for anything they want. Phone number, email, user id, cell phone handset id (IMEI), and so on - it's all the same.” [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. The quote reveals that intelligence analysts can freely query raw surveillance data, highlighting the ease of accessing personal information. **In simple terms:** Analysts can easily retrieve any personal data from raw databases. Key Takeaway Advocate stronger safeguards for data access. Themes privacy surveillance data access government power Mood concerned urgent thoughtful Type statement warning call to action When to use this quote - law enforcement - journalism - personal security - policy making Key Concepts civil liberties ethical oversight technology abuse Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance security and privacy? - What controls should limit data queries? A Different Perspective It may not account for legitimate investigative needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Access](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/access/) [Analyst Access](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/analyst-access-6042175/) [Analysts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/analysts/) [Cell phone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cell-phone/) [Cells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cells/) [Cia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cia/) [Databases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/databases/) [Dia Analyst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dia-analyst-6042176/) [Email](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/email/) [Etc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/etc/) [Fbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fbi/) [Nsa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nsa/) [Numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numbers/) [Phone number](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phone-number/) [Phones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phones/) [Queries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/queries/) [Raw Sigint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raw-sigint-6042173/) [Results](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/results/) [Sigint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sigint-6042174/) [Sigint Databases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sigint-databases-6042172/) [Users](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/users/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [The uncomfortable truth is that we all enjoyed the party far too much to query where all the booze was coming from. Now we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-o-grady/the-uncomfortable-truth-is-that-we-all-enjoyed-the-party-far-too-much/) [Sean O'Grady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-o-grady/) > [No research will answer all queries that the future may raise. It is wiser to praise the work for what it has accomplished and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theobald-smith/no-research-will-answer-all-queries-that-the-future-may-raise-it-is/) [Theobald Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theobald-smith/) > [Before Google, I don't think people put much effort into the ordering of results. You might get a couple thouand results for a query.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergey-brin/before-google-i-don-t-think-people-put-much-effort-into-the-ordering/) [Sergey Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergey-brin/) > [You're able to use a search engine, like Google or Bing or whatever. But those engines don't understand anything about pages that they give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-j-russell/you-re-able-to-use-a-search-engine-like-google-or-bing-or-whatever/) [Stuart J. Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-j-russell/) > [I wrote a query letter to an editor - a friend of a friend. The editor called me an idiot, told me never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-wilson/i-wrote-a-query-letter-to-an-editor-a-friend-of-a-friend-the-editor/) [Daniel H. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-wilson/) > [Having embraced Islam, I felt as if I were born again. I found in Islam the answers to those queries which I had failed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jermaine-jackson/having-embraced-islam-i-felt-as-if-i-were-born-again-i-found-in-islam/) [Jermaine Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jermaine-jackson/) > [Writing a good query letter has very little to do with writing a good novel. But if you can't write the one, it makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/writing-a-good-query-letter-has-very-little-to-do-with-writing-a-good/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [The program grew out of a desire to address a gap identified after 9/11 ... The program does not involve the NSA examining the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-program-grew-out-of-a-desire-to-address-a-gap-identified-after-9/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [After two years of sending out query letters and failing to get an agent, I made friends with an author, who was nice enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/after-two-years-of-sending-out-query-letters-and-failing-to-get-an/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“native queries are unavoidable in any non-trivial enterprise application”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vlad-mihalcea/native-queries-are-unavoidable-in-any-non-trivial-enterprise/) [Vlad Mihalcea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vlad-mihalcea/) > [Most of us carry at least one device, all the time, every day. In fact many of us would feel naked without our smartphone.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-page/most-of-us-carry-at-least-one-device-all-the-time-every-day-in-fact/) [Larry Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-page/) > [As for the excellent little wretches who grow up in what they are taught, with never a scruple or a query, ... they signify…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/as-for-the-excellent-little-wretches-who-grow-up-in-what-they-are/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [In 2002, Google began an ambitious project to digitize every book in the world. It was intended as a search project: type in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-darnton/in-2002-google-began-an-ambitious-project-to-digitize-every-book-in/) [Robert Darnton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-darnton/) > [ All I can say, in answer to this kind queries \[of friends\] is that I have not the distemper called the Plague; but that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/all-i-can-say-in-answer-to-this-kind-queries-of-friends-is-that-i/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) ## 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 Access quotes > [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [You can disseminate your art, and it's all such easy access now. The upside to it is that more people are creating than ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-clarke/you-can-disseminate-your-art-and-it-s-all-such-easy-access-now-the/) [Stanley Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-clarke/) > [It's the same with this idea of a literate public, and also of a democracy in which people have access to and really read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hass/it-s-the-same-with-this-idea-of-a-literate-public-and-also-of-a/) [Robert Hass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hass/) > [My hope is that if people have the knowledge, and if they actually see where their food comes from and have access to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/my-hope-is-that-if-people-have-the-knowledge-and-if-they-actually-see/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [I don't think it's always a sign of respect for persons (inside or outside of fiction) to pretend to be able to represent, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-lerner/i-don-t-think-it-s-always-a-sign-of-respect-for-persons-inside-or/) [Ben Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-lerner/) > [Leslie Stein's comics give readers privileged access to a complete and wholly original world of gently skewed wonders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-woodring/leslie-stein-s-comics-give-readers-privileged-access-to-a-complete/) [Jim Woodring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-woodring/) > [The best way to fight poverty is to empower people through access to quality education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/the-best-way-to-fight-poverty-is-to-empower-people-through-access-to/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [Because the Internet's there, I have access to a lot of the legends, like Fela Kuti. I used to watch a lot of Fela…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/king-krule/because-the-internet-s-there-i-have-access-to-a-lot-of-the-legends/) [King Krule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/king-krule/) > [There needs to be some regime that is overseeing access to broadband to make sure we have openess; otherwise, there is a risk it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vint-cerf/there-needs-to-be-some-regime-that-is-overseeing-access-to-broadband/) [Vint Cerf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vint-cerf/) > [While it's wonderful that investors have access to all the data now available to them, it has become a full-time job to sift through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-bartiromo/while-it-s-wonderful-that-investors-have-access-to-all-the-data-now/) [Maria Bartiromo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-bartiromo/) > [It is truly vital for the United States to assure that it is not attacked with weapons of mass destruction; to prevent wars in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/it-is-truly-vital-for-the-united-states-to-assure-that-it-is-not/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Now that I'm more middle class, I have access to consumer goods. I do enjoy feminine frippery, feminine doo-da, stuff like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-geok-lin-lim/now-that-i-m-more-middle-class-i-have-access-to-consumer-goods-i-do/) [Shirley Geok-lin Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-geok-lin-lim/) > [Schools have never been about getting access to information. That's the job of libraries. Schools and universities have nobler missions as gentle gatekeepers. Their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-nikiforuk/schools-have-never-been-about-getting-access-to-information-that-s/) [Andrew Nikiforuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-nikiforuk/) > [To pray is to open the door unto Jesus and admit Him into your distress. Your helplessness is the very thing which opens wide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ole-hallesby/to-pray-is-to-open-the-door-unto-jesus-and-admit-him-into-your/) [Ole Hallesby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ole-hallesby/) > [Broadband Internet access shouldn't depend on who you are or where you're from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajit-pai/broadband-internet-access-shouldn-t-depend-on-who-you-are-or-where/) [Ajit Pai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajit-pai/) [Browse all 2,178 Access quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/access/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If an NSA, FBI, CIA, DIA, etc analyst has access to query raw SIGINT databases, they can enter and get results for anything they want. 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