"Keeping us safe, one gnome at a time"

According to new classified documents obtained by Edward Snowden, NSA agents have entered the online realms of World of Warcraft, Xbox Live, and Second life. A 2008 NSA document, reported out by ProPublica, calls the online gaming communities a “target-rich communication network” which would let possible terrorists “hide in plain sight.” As has been the case with other leaked NSA docs, these new ones are not without their exclamations. Getting agents in on these games is “an opportunity!” …

“Keeping us safe, one gnome at a time,” a Human Rogue wrote on a World of Warcraft forum Monday morning. “The NSA are spying because of the Darkspear Trolls,” writes an Orc Warrior. A Night Elf Druid says “It’s a clever attempt for agents to sit around and play Warcraft. That is all.” A Night Elft Warrior wishes the spies well: “Good luck agents, on trying to get to a high enough level to find all those darn terrorists that would probably hiding [sic] around places in Azeroth you don’t even know exist.”