Ep 137. NYPD Ending Muslim Surveillance, 5 Journalists Labeled Traitors and Heartbleed and the NSA

In season 2 episode 137 of Breaking the Set, host Abby Martin covers three major stories affecting civil liberties and privacy rights in the United States.

The first segment focuses on the New York City Police Department's decision to end their controversial surveillance program targeting Muslim communities. Martin gives background on the program, which was created following the 9/11 attacks and involved the monitoring of mosques, schools, and businesses. The NYPD claimed the program was necessary for counterterrorism efforts, but it faced widespread criticism for unfairly targeting law-abiding Muslim citizens. Martin speaks with journalist Aviva Stahl, who has extensively covered the topic, about the impact of the surveillance and the NYPD's decision to end it.

Next, Martin discusses the labeling of five journalists as "traitors" by the US government for their reporting on confidential information. Martin explains that these journalists were not accused of leaking information themselves, but rather of receiving confidential information from sources and reporting on it. She argues that this attack on the freedom of the press is a dangerous precedent. Martin speaks with journalist Chris Hedges, one of the five labeled as a traitor, about the case and its wider implications for press freedom.

The final segment covers the Heartbleed bug and the National Security Agency's potential exploitation of it. Martin explains that Heartbleed is a security flaw that affected many websites, potentially exposing users' private information. She notes that some experts have suggested that the NSA may have known about the bug and exploited it for their own intelligence-gathering purposes. Martin speaks with security expert Bruce Schneier about the risks and implications of Heartbleed and the NSA's role in the incident.

Throughout the episode, Martin provides critical analysis and commentary on each story, highlighting the broader issues of government surveillance, press freedom, and online privacy. Breaking the Set offers a thought-provoking and informative look at current events and their impact on society and civil liberties.