

SPECIAL - Harrison Berger : The CIA Attacks Civil Liberties.
Sep 22, 2025
Harrison Berger, an investigative journalist focused on surveillance and national security, dives deep into the unsettling world of CIA and FBI surveillance tactics. He unpacks the implications of FISA Section 702 and how private contractors like Palantir and Oracle intertwine with government operations. Berger also sheds light on Palantir’s controversial ties to Israeli military actions and the potential media manipulation resulting from Oracle's influence over TikTok. This discussion offers a chilling insight into the erosion of civil liberties.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Surveillance Was Legalized And Outsourced
- Mass surveillance persisted after 9/11 and was retroactively legalized through laws like FISA Section 702.
- Outsourcing and private contractors now drive much of modern warrantless surveillance on Americans.
Private Firms Run The Surveillance Stack
- Outsourcing shifted data collection from government agencies to private firms like Palantir and Booz Allen.
- Companies interpret NSA‑collected data with predictive models that threaten civil liberties and promise little security return.
Surveillance Roots Go Back Decades
- Mass surveillance has deep historical roots predating the War on Terror, from CIA mail‑opening to COINTELPRO.
- National security elites view domestic dissent as a greater threat than foreign enemies, shaping surveillance priorities.