ARE YOU A "PERFECT CITIZEN?"
  The National Security Agency, the US government's chief eavesdropping
agency along with Raytheon Corporation is embarking on a secret domestic surveillance project dubbed "Perfect Citizen", intended to monitor  important national infrastructure such as power grids and transport systems. The Wall Street Journal reported that Perfect Citizen has caused concern in some government and military circles where it is believed to be a bold attempt by the NSA to carry out massive, automated surveillance of American companies and citizens. The newspaper quoted a memo from the main contractor on the project that said, "Perfect Citizen is Big Brother." The NSA denies that it is embarking on any illegal or invasive domestic activities. It vows that it strictly adheres to both the spirit and the letter of U.S. laws and regulations. The Journal reported that the Raytheon Company, of Waltham, Massachusetts, a prominent defense contractor, would be running the show. The concern is that Perfect Citizen could be just the beginning, or that the NSA will overstep its bounds and essentially monitor all domestic network activity. Access to critical infrastructure networks might also provide the NSA with access to details regarding the power usage, or travel plans of individual citizens. Many of the networks that the NSA would wish to place Perfect Citizen equipment on are privately owned, however, and some could also potentially carry information offering scope for "mission creep" outside an infrastructure-security context. For instance, full access to power company systems might allow the NSA to work out whether anyone was at home at a given address. Transport and telecoms information would also make for a potential bonanza for intrusive monitoring.
READ ENTIRE ARTICLE