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WASHINGTON — The turtle wearing a hat backward, baggy jeans and purple sunglasses looks just like other cartoon characters that marketers use to make products like cereal and toys appealing to children.

But the reptile, known as T. Top, who says creating and breaking codes is really “kewl,” is pushing something far weightier: the benefits of the National Security Agency.

To enter the “How Can I Work for N.S.A.?” section of the site, children click on a picture of a bucktoothed rabbit, who says in his biography that he likes listening to hip-hop and rock. In his free time, the bunny says, he participates in cryptography competitions with other cartoon characters named Decipher Dog and CryptoCat.nsa-telephone-worker-spying-retro-war-propaganda

“As a signals analyst, you will work with cutting edge technology to recover, understand and derive intelligence from a variety of foreign signals found around the world,” children are told in the future employment section. “You will also attempt to identify the purpose, content, and user of these signals to provide critical intelligence to our nation’s leaders.”

Civil libertarians, not surprisingly, said the website was propaganda. Experts on early childhood education and marketing to children said the tactics used by the N.S.A. were similar to the way McDonald’s puts toys in its Happy Meals.



  1. Glenn E. says:

    “tactics used by the N.S.A. were similar to the way McDonald’s puts toys in its Happy Meals. ”

    What? No parallels to how Nazi Youth organizations, enticed young minds to sign up? Just because they didn’t have slick 21th century cartoon characters to sell it. Back then they just had star athletes as children’s idols. Whom you can bet the Nazis used to recruit the youth. Of course the Soviets just draft anyone into whatever jobs need to be filled. No need to trick anyone into volunteering.

  2. NewFormatSux says:

    Also similar to how liberals try to sell liberalism to kids. Only they try and include it as part of school curriculum as well.

  3. Outraged says:

    … Meanwhile, shortwave radios continue to broadcast those “numbers” that no one including Edward Snowden can shed any light on. (link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numbers_station ). Which leads me to wonder why the NSA wants to focus most/all of it’s attention on anything to do with computer technology when all anyone has to do is broadcast marching orders over shortwave radio — that only terrorists (and weirdo ham operators) seem to be listening to.

    Remembering 9-11, I recall someone (several reporters) telling us that the CIA had the info and knew all about this plot months in advance. They even had phone records and recorded conversations of the terrorists! But because our government can’t, or more likely won’t talk to each other that horrible day was allowed to happen.

    So could all this have something to do with MONEY?! Hmmm… Don’t be too quick to answer. Think about who their masters are for a sec.

    Even with all their abilities to snoop on people digitally, the NSA, CIA, FBI, (boobie-hatch badged Bozos), still don’t seem to be able to thwart many of the terrorist activities which continues to make the news. And even when they do know about a terrorists activities (plans), they often do NOTHING! Or would you not care to recall what happened in Boston not too long ago? (An event that was completely domestic!)

    And now, they want our kids to work for them?! ARE YOU F***ING CRAZY?!

    But, I guess, that’s our tax dollars at work (or not working). And just why this (waste) surprises anyone is what really surprises me!

  4. AdmFubar says:

    >>>What? No parallels to how Nazi Youth organizations, enticed young minds to sign up?<<

    like Micky D's isnt the same thing?

    one should teach their children to infiltrate the enemy from within…

    • Tim says:

      “”one should teach their children to infiltrate the enemy from within…

      ^^That would be as effective as explaining to them why being a cop is retarded and sadistic — It won’t help; After all, retards have families to feed to.

      It’s much better to go for the long term solution, identify those families, and inject methyl mercury into their plumbing.

  5. bobbo, the pragmatic existential evangelical anti-theist and junior culture critic says:

    http://nsa.gov/kids/

    Everything I saw on the website looks appropriate to me “in a vacuum.” Still, something creeps me out about the Gubment doing this. Now…. if what the Gubment is doing is “ok” then my problems/feelings about the website must say more about me than it?

    Like you f*cktards above, I like to be anti-authoritarian, but then I slow down and try to actually identify rational reasons.

    If you think the Gubment is “always” the enemy, then you have four fingers pointed back at yourself.

    Know what I mean?

    /////// Now, the Pedro Flip Flop==I don’t mind Gubment websites targeting kiddies IF THE CONTENT IS OK. ….. but who can monitor it all? I wouldn’t “mind” if the law prohibited gubment programs/websites aimed at kiddies. One, only one “rational” reasons: childhood should not be spent deciding one’s career path……hah….lots of websites devoted to music or dancing or sports…whats the difference?….Almost forgot: the Gubment.

    Pros and Cons.


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