IMPOTENT

NSA Overwhelmed by Cell Phone Use

Collecting less than 30 percent of U.S. call data.

Despite a reputation for omnipotence and omniscience, the NSA is collecting less than 30 percent of all U.S. call records thanks to the surge in cell phone usage. According to officials, back in 2006, the agency was able to collect nearly all records about Americans' phone calls under a classified program. Now, as more and more people migrate away from landlines, the NSA finds itself faced with challenges in not only acquiring the data from wireless companies, but also having databases capable of handling the large amounts of records. While some would argue the less-than-30-percent number would signify a lack of value to the data collection, NSA Deputy Director Rick Ledgett defended the agency, arguing, "It's better than zero."