The talking heads on TV are still getting one of the main points regarding meta-data wrong...

[Tx4obama]

Guy on MSNBC just said: ... wouldn't it be better for (NSA or FBI or whoever) to just wait and go to the telecoms once they have a lead on who they need the data on instead of NSA storing five years of data.... (paraphrasing here)

The POINT is that the telecoms do NOT store meta-data for very long.

It has been said many times that most telecoms delete their older meta-data after 30 to 90 days.

So, IF the NSA doesn't store it in back-up databases there will be NO data.

IF a regulation were to be issued that made the telecoms to keep meta-data for five years then that cost would be passed onto the customers!

Why do folks keep missing this.

[pkdu]

1. I believe it's called "willful ignorance" . Nt

[Skittles]

8. I would agree with your assessment

only because I do not believe anyone can be that naive

[randome]

2. And one of those guys -I forget who- said 'massive collection of phone calls'.

After all this time, they still don't understand what metadata is. Incredible.

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[sagat]

3. Because they're fucking stupid.

[Arctic Dave]

4. And the NSA is storing it for free?

So we pay for it out our taxes that are out of control.

Derp derp derp.

[DURHAM D]

5. Exactly

Shouldn't our phone bills go down?

[Benton D Struckcheon]

6. I doubt it's that short, as they do need it for billing purposes.

I just did a quick Google and found they keep it for a year, allegedly.
This would make more sense. I'd think the current stuff is kept on a live database and the older stuff is backed up in a compressed format to be referred to if needed for older billing inquiries.
Keeping this data around would involve minimal cost actually. Most large companies have a department that handles data archiving, and if you need older stuff restored you can get it done by request.

[Pholus]

7. Wrong.

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/09/cellular-customer-data/

Mobile call detail records are stored between 1-7 years depending on the carrier.