Channel Button

There are 10 articles on this title. You are reading the article ranked and rated #2 by Helium's members.

Politics, News & Issues   >

Homeland Security

Get a Widget for this title

Domestic spying in the US: How far is too far?

Would YOU like to have strangers reading your e-mail or logging every stroke of your keyboard? Well over twenty years ago when I worked as a rookie U.S. Federal Agent in Miami, I watched George Orwell's 1984 and thought it was merely an entertaining movie. Today in 2006 I look back and can sayit was nothing less than prophetic thanks to President Bush and his "Patriot Act", This law, in my humble opinion should be more aptly named the "Citizen Control Act" and with good reason.

Fortunately I am no longer employed in the dark world of government law enforcement, but even back in the 1980s we had the technology of "infinity microphones" and the like that would allow us to dial into any American home at whim over regular telephone lines and listen into any conversations that may be going on within 30 feet of the family's telephone - without ever making it ring. By law, court orders were required, but few agents bothered with the paperwork. After all, who would know? I recall speaking with a DEA agent assigned to night shifts that was so bored staking out a suspect that was seldom home, that he dialed around town at random to get his jollies listening in to dozens of American bedrooms for an assortment of grunts, groans, and quite a few family arguments.

That was then and this is now. Technology has come a l-o-o-o-n-g way my friends. Today our friendly feds actually have the ability to reside right in your house full time 24-7-365 via your family computer. Of course they're on the lookout for terrorists mind you, but oversight is not a strong point of the Patriot Act. With a quick search our "homeland security" boys and girls can quickly get a detailed summary of all your e-mail traffic as well as a list of every web site you ever visited, or a listing of your banking and credit card transactions, or any other on-line activity you ever pursued,including any and all searches you ever made on a search engine. In fact, they can and do sureptiously insert "key logger" programs into your computer that will monitor and record every single key stroke youmake and automatically send them a "detailed report" on a regular basis. Considering, that they already had the ability to monitor your phone and cell conversations, and can get your life history from just your social security number, what real privacy do you have left in this "land of the free"? Not much actually.

But getting back to your home computer No need to wonder how they can get into your computer that you think


Below are the top articles rated and ranked by Helium members on:

Domestic spying in the US: How far is too far?

  • 1 of 10

    by Angelique Van Engelen

    Big Brother's Nephew Arrives

    The FBI is launching its biggest online data gathering effort yet. It is investing $1 billion

    read more

  • 2 of 10

    by Bruce A. Gorcyca

    Would YOU like to have strangers reading your e-mail or logging every stroke of your keyboard? Well over twenty years ago

    read more

  • 3 of 10

    by SaurKraut

    As if the civil rights violations under the Patriot Act aren't good enough, it's being reported that "A statement attached

    read more

  • 4 of 10

    by Burke McKay

    What reasons exist for the servant to spy upon the master?

    Government only serves at the consent and pleasure of the people.

    read more

  • 5 of 10

    by Paul Schingle

    I've referenced George Orwell and written this before. In "1984" one of the characters (a government employee) tells Winston

    read more

View All Articles on:
Domestic spying in the US: How far is too far?

Add your voice

Know something about Domestic spying in the US: How far is too far??
We want to hear your view. Write_penWrite now!

148828

Featured Partner

ResearchSEA - Asia Research News

ResearchSEA - Asia Research News is Asia's first research news portal. It is a one-stop center where journalists a...more

What is Helium? | Buy Web Content | Contact Us | Privacy | User agreement | DMCA | User Tools | Help | Community | Helium’s Official Blog | Link to Helium

Helium, Inc.
200 Brickstone Square Andover, MA 01810 USA