Yahoo since 2015 scans the contents of its users' emails and transmits the received data to the FBI and the NSA
According to the exclusive information of the Reuters news agency, Yahoo has been scanning e-mails of its mail users since 2015 and forwards the data to the FBI and US intelligence. Scanning is carried out using a specially created for this algorithm.
The said system was deployed by Yahoo at the secret request of the US intelligence. On behalf of the latter, all incoming letters were scanned for the presence of information of interest to the FBI and the NSA by keyword.
Some experts say that this kind of cooperation is unique. In such situations, technology companies scan only archival correspondence of users or check a part in real time. Yahoo also checked all incoming messages of its users.
The introduction of a system of total surveillance of users caused a conflict within the company. Thus, the head of the information security service Alex Stamos was dismissed from his post, who opposed the decision of the head of the company Marissa Mayer for cooperation with the special services.
A number of public figures have already responded to this news, including dissident Edward Snowden:
According to the text of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act , adopted in 1986, special services are entitled to request recordings of conversations of customers (subscribers) of American companies, wiretap and access to users ’correspondence upon request supported by a court decision (which is quite easy for the NSA or FBI to ).
In addition, when receiving a court order "unlimited period of validity" or the so-called "quiet" order, the service provider cannot even notify his client that his personal information has been verified or correspondence \ conversations have been transferred to special services. A few months ago, a number of US technology giants, led by Microsoft , filed a lawsuit, which would limit the rights of special services to receive "quiet" orders, which in turn would provide the opportunity to notify customers about the "digital searches". Among those who supported the lawsuit were companies such as Apple, Google and Amazon.
The company Yahoo did not support the initiative of Microsoft, now we know why.