Ok, I know at some point this was discussed somewhere, but I can't seem to find it with e search function...

We can't either ! Its All Gores fault , payback for not becoming president . U know that thing he invented called the internet / translation = we can now listen to u ! Yup , sucks doesn't it . Oh I'm Mr.Fisher by the way. Yes sir reeeeee.

Are you asking what are the effects of the recent news about NSA trying to keep tabs on us on our hobby?  

has been collecting metadata on every phone call/email made, for years. Arguably, a significant breach of privacy for every private citizen. But they're screening for communications related to suspected terrorist activity, (and, well....quite possibly many other things). But, not escorts.  

Unless she is serving some top politicians who would want to be brought down by their opponents for political gains.  

Unless you're sending thousands of dollars overseas to strange addresses, calling up numbers on govt watch lists or regularly visiting sites associated with some potentially terrorist shit I wouldn't worry too much about the Feds.

But nothing new about that. Ed Snowden did not reveal anything that was a complete secret---at least, conceptually. I'm still thinkin' Charlie is not in any immediate danger from the NSA...

Although one can never be completely sure of that.

why is she asking about no strings attached..? Why would she need to talk to her lawyer....?

I'm not trying to be overly paranoid, but I am involved in other things that make me worry more than others, I think. So, that's where that comes from, and the urge to talk to a lawyer to put myself completely at ease.  

Paranoia is kind of relative though, isn't it? I personally don't feel like its paranoid to double check, with everything going on in my life. A year ago, I wouldn't have bothered. Now, to me, I would rather be safe than sorry.

Welcome to the world of distributed computing with hundreds of thousands of cheap commodity servers running hadoop making cray compute power look like a cell phone.

Also, look at the trend for localizing new technologies. Many police depts across the country are interested in using drones for local law enforcement, and some may even be currently doing so. It's not a far stretch to imagine they'd want their piece of the data pile pie. Today terrorists, tomorrow...?

Whether it's the 2013 equivalent of a CRAY or distributed computing what the NSA does is enormously expensive and labor intensive--at the end of the day some analyst still has to read that shit.  The costs would have to come down tremendously to make it appealing to even the biggest municipal police departments to use it to focus on what might end up being a series of misdemeamors.  Right now LE can get all the low tech busts they want whenever they want them without help from the NSA.  Do you really think the LAPD or NYPD don't know how to find providers and hobbyists and how to pressure them into turning on their comrades?  The question is one of resources versus return.  Sure LE will stage some big busts now and then to assure everyone they're still on the case but until drug cartels disappear and robberies dry up and car thefts cease I don't think LE is going to make hobbying their number 1 priority no matter how much high tech gear they get.  We're just not that important.

Remember the Meese commission on Pornography?  They sure put a stop to that business didn't they?

NSA supports and provides intel to many of the other 3 letter agencies. Local LE around the country is working in conjunction with the FBI rounding up Providers, Pimps and agencies. We are talking tax evasion, human trafficking, off-shore bank account, bribery, funds to support terrorism, donations to mosques within the US that are growing American Terrorist that are currently be tracked.  Don't be stupid. There is big money here. Indy girls are lucky, agency girls might get 200 out of the 350 donation if they are lucky. There is major money here and the IRS, FBI, DEA and ever other GOV organization wants a piece to justify their budget. Watch your ass!