MANILA, Philippines – In a new report, The Guardian revealed documents explaining how a National Security Agency tool called XKeyScore works, as well as what data this tool collects and the repercussions of the tool’s potential use or misuse.

Training materials for XKeyScore presented by The Guardian point to this tool, as well as others, giving the NSA the ability to intercept and collect data on an individual’s online activity.

A “simple on-screen form” and a “broad justification for the search” is all that appears to be needed for an analyst to mine the NSA databases for information.

The documents detail how XKeyScore allows for the monitoring of email and the collection of chat messages, browsing history, and social media activity of a targeted individual.

The system also enables the capturing of metadata, which refers to the information behind specific activities. If the data of an email refers to the content of the email message, the metadata refers to the email addresses of the sender and receiver of an email, as well as what time an email was sent.

The Guardian report also discusses some of the possible legal repercussions of the use of XKeyScore because of the capabilities of the technology.

US law states that the NSA has to get an individualized Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrant if they want to do surveillance on a US citizen or someone on US soil. A warrant isn’t needed if the NSA wants to intercept “the communications of Americans with foreign targets.”

The Guardian mentions that, due to how XKeyScore works, it “provides the technological capability, if not the legal authority, to target even US persons for extensive electronic surveillance without a warrant provided that some identifying information, such as their email or IP address, is known to the analyst.”

The NSA has replied to The Guardian, saying that “NSA’s activities are focused and specifically deployed against – and only against – legitimate foreign intelligence targets in response to requirements that our leaders need for information necessary to protect our nation and its interests.”

It added: “Allegations of widespread, unchecked analyst access to NSA collection data are simply not true. Access to XKeyscore, as well as all of NSA’s analytic tools, is limited to only those personnel who require access for their assigned tasks.” – Rappler.com