Snowden: NSA targeted journalists critical of government after 9/11
Edward Snowden accused the National Security Agency of targeting reporters who wrote critically about the government after the 9/11 attacks and warned it was “unforgivably reckless” for journalists to use unencrypted email messages when discussing sensitive matters.  

How you’re tracked digitally all day (and what you can do about it)
It’s not just high-priority targets and would-be terrorists that leave a digital trail as they go about their business — millions of Americans each produce gigabytes of data associated with themselves just by walking down the street, browsing the Internet, and using their mobile phone. PRISM and XKeyscore may be in the news, but we’ve been tracked by other means for a long time. 

Retailers keeping tabs on consumers’ return habits
It’s not just the government that might be keeping tabs on you. Many retailers are tracking you, too – or at least your merchandise returns. The companies say it’s all in the name of security and fighting fraud. They want to be able to identify chronic returners or gangs of thieves trying to make off with high-end products that are returned later for store credit. 

Assange says Obama’s NSA reform vindicates Snowden
Assange, the head of the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks, released a statement Saturday, just a day after Obama drafted steps to reform intelligence gathering measures, CNN reported. Assange has been living in the Ecuadoran Embassy in London for over a year after losing appeals fighting extradition to Sweden for questioning in a sexual assault case. 

Obama Lies To Leno: We Don’t Have A Domestic Spying Program
Obama tells comedian Jay Leno that “We don’t have a domestic spying program.” He made the comment during a taping of Leno’s TV show. Obama also says the U.S. is not overreacting by closing some U.S. embassies for a week. The president tells Leno, “The odds of dying in a terrorist attack are a lot lower than they are of dying in a car accident, unfortunately.” 

Barack Obama pledges greater surveillance transparency
President Barack Obama has promised “appropriate reforms” to guarantee greater oversight of controversial US surveillance programmes. At a White House news conference, he proposed “safeguards against abuse”, including amending legislation on the collection of telephone data. Mr Obama also urged appointing a lawyer to challenge the government at the nation’s secretive surveillance court.