
For your eyes only: The Times goes inside GCHQ - p01926
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/defence/article4598139.ece
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p01926
The London Times got a guided tour of a the once-secret UK intelligence
headquarters and left behind their journalistic integrity. They are being used
to disseminate propaganda ahead of the introduction of draconian surveillance
legislation. "Snowden did enormous damage", "tiny bit of data", "only
metadata", etc.

Letting in a journalist is an astute move on behalf of GCHQ and the
government, but, in this instance, they have accidentally chosen a
stenographer instead. The absence of a single challenging question regarding
the dangers of mass-surveillance is embarrassing.

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secfirstmd
Time and time again we find "journalists" (The Times has been in the pocket of
the intel world for decades), academics and politicians who are cleverly
seduced by getting a glimpse of the inside of the intelligence, special
forces, police world etc. Too often the people charged with overseeing them
allow themselves to feel intimidated by people in uniform or in intelligence.
So called "Defence," "Crime" journalists etc get lazy and allow themselves to
be feed like a child from the press offices of various organisations. "Sources
say," "insiders say" basically becomes a form of grovelling verbatim printing
of press releases and spin.

I really wish they would open their eyes and ask difficult questions (it's
generally better for their careers in the long run). Or better yet, if they
are afraid ask the public and experts for specific questions to put to them.
When I worked in the UK Parliament, I always found it interesting that the
best questions, comments and observations about these worlds came from the
people who were formerly in them - e.g MPs/Lords who used to be intel or
military. They were generally much more inclined to not swallow the crap
pushed out by the agencies and instead ask the difficult questions - as it was
a lot harder for the wool to be pulled over their eyes. Esp on issues like 90
day detention, mandatory ID cards, government surveillance powers.

