Max Kelly was the Chief Security Officer for Facebook.
It’s a high-ranking position at the social network.
So it was surprising when he was soon picked up by the National Security Agency, “[a]bout a year after Facebook reportedly joined PRISM”, the vast system of data gathering from social networks and websites done by the NSA.
According to the New York Times:
To get their hands on the latest software technology to manipulate and take advantage of large volumes of data, United States intelligence agencies invest in Silicon Valley start-ups, award classified contracts and recruit technology experts like Mr. Kelly.
And then ask in return only for your data that those social networks and startups have.
Don’t be fooled by Facebook claiming that they only complied when their hands were tied either:
Facebook, among other tech companies, has distanced itself from the government, claiming it only cooperates when it is legally required to. But, “current and former industry officials say the companies sometimes secretly put together teams of in-house experts to find ways to cooperate more completely with the NSA and to make their customers’ information more accessible to the agency”.
And now that companies like Facebook are essentially resume-builders for the NSA, it’s clear that the government wants your data—and it wants it bad.
