ECHELON
ECHELON, originally a secret government code name, is a surveillance program operated by the United States with the aid of Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, also known as the Five Eyes.
By the end of the 20th century, the system referred to as "ECHELON" had evolved beyond its military and diplomatic origins to also become "…a global system for the interception of private and commercial communications" (mass surveillance and industrial espionage).
