NSA: Monitoring Online Gaming Communities Since 2008

The NSA has not been getting too much good press lately, if at all, not to mention major technology companies having called for reforms in the NSA itself. The Guardian has shed additional light on documents that were leaked by none other than Edward Snowden that shared the fact that the NSA has been monitoring online gaming communities all the while since 5 years back, which would be 2008 on the calendar. In fact, it has also sent out actual NSA agents into online RPGs to pose as players, now how about that? One of the major services to be on the receiving end of such surveillance was Xbox Live, while those who enjoyed World of Warcraft and Second Life might have also come into contact with NSA agents unknowingly.

It remains to be seen just why the NSA alognside its UK counterpart, GCHQ, figured out that getting involved in such operations were compulsory, but I guess they subscribed to the train of thought that online games could be a channel for those with malicious intent to use it as a vehicle to discuss their nefarious plans. Of course, the leaked files did not point out whether any terrorists were caught in such a dragnet, but it sure as heck sounds crazy now, no?

Edwin Kee
Categories: Gaming
Tags: nsa