Furloughed Federal Workers Can't Check Their Email... But Don't Worry, The NSA Can Still Check Yours

from the life-under-the-shutdown dept

So with the federal government shut down, it turns out that it's actually illegal for furloughed government employees to check their work email. Yes, if you're a public servant who actually feels obligated to do some public service by checking your email (for example, to find out if you're supposed to go back to work), you're probably breaking the law. But, have no fear, while those government employees can't check their own email, the NSA will still be checking your email.

A government shutdown, set for Oct. 1 if lawmakers fail to strike a deal, would be unlikely to impede the National Security Agency's surveillance programs.

"A shutdown would be unlikely to affect core NSA operations," a government official familiar with the plans said.

Nice to see them focused on priorities. Perhaps there's a "modest proposal" sort of solution here, where we get the NSA and FBI to read the emails of the furloughed employees to let them know what they're missing.