The National Security Agency (NSA) is a United States government organization responsible for the collection and analysis of foreign communications. Established in 1952, it is one of the most powerful intelligence organizations in the world. Over its more than six decades of existence, NSA has been involved in numerous controversial activities that have raised questions about civil liberties and privacy rights.

One example of this controversy was revealed by Edward Snowden’s 2013 leak which exposed mass surveillance programs run by NSA such as PRISM and Tempora that collected confidential data from citizens without their knowledge or consent.

This revelation sparked an international debate over whether governments should be allowed to collect personal information on their citizens without their permission or whether these practices violate individual rights to privacy guaranteed under national laws and international treaties like The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

Despite these controversies, there are still many people who believe that if done correctly with proper oversight, collecting data can help protect national security interests while also protecting civil liberties at home and abroad.

For instance, some argue that targeted surveillance can help identify potential terrorist threats before they occur while others say it could lead to racial profiling or other forms of discrimination against certain groups within society based on race religion, etc.

It will be up to lawmakers around the world to decide how much power they want to give to agencies like the NSA when it comes to balancing public safety with individual liberty protections.