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Mark Klein, Whistleblower Who Exposed NSA's Internet Surveillance, Dies at 79

Klein revealed the NSA's use of secret AT&T facilities to conduct mass surveillance on Americans' internet traffic in the early 2000s.

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This 2006 photo shows one of the entrances to the “secret room” at AT&T’s office on Folsom Street in San Francisco. The photo is part of a document provided to Wired News by Mark Klein, the star witness in a case brought against AT&T by the Electronic Frontier Foundation. 
Screenshots: PBS
This 2006 photo shows one of the entrances to the “secret room” at AT&T’s office on Folsom Street in San Francisco. The photo is part of a document provided to Wired News by Mark Klein, the star witness in a case brought against AT&T by the Electronic Frontier Foundation. 

Overview

  • Mark Klein, a former AT&T technician, passed away at 79 from pancreatic cancer in Oakland, California, according to the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF).
  • In 2006, Klein disclosed how the NSA used Room 641A at an AT&T hub in San Francisco to copy and monitor internet traffic through optical splitters.
  • His revelations provided key evidence in lawsuits against AT&T and the NSA, though these were ultimately dismissed after Congress legalized the surveillance program in 2008.
  • Klein's whistleblowing preceded Edward Snowden's 2013 disclosures and was credited with inspiring further scrutiny of government surveillance programs.
  • Despite legal and personal risks, Klein's actions highlighted concerns about privacy, government overreach, and the impact of post-9/11 surveillance laws.