Should I be this paranoid?

[Roza1618]

Hmm... maybe i shouldve specified. Some people are assuming that I mean my question by illegal hacking. This isn't the case. I meant are they always watching you maybe if you have a political view or dislike the way the government runs things. Would they start a file on you just in case you try to take action on your political view?

[aNewHobby4me]

When you said "start a file on you for your political views", it rang a bell. Look up J. Edgar Hoover. It has happened before.

Also, there is a difference between what a government agency is allowed to do by law, and what they are capable of doing.

[Roza1618]

thanks anewhobby4me, thats precisely what I meant. (the J Edgar Hoover thing). So, what IS the intelligence agencies capable of?

[aNewHobby4me]

... So, what IS the intelligence agencies capable of?

Your question as asked is a bit...vague.

Do you mean technically, or legally? Also, do you mean to the population as a whole, or focusing on a single individual?

As an afterthought--which government(s)?

[Edit]This stayed in the back of my mind, and today it came up with this. J. Edgar would have been proud.[/Edit]

[Heath Winchester]

thanks anewhobby4me, thats precisely what I meant. (the J Edgar Hoover thing). So, what IS the intelligence agencies capable of?

Well it's obviously been demonstrated that they can watch an individual closely. But you'd have to have some pretty radical ideals one would think. Of course, maybe not. They could use it for whatever they want. I doubt that any of the agencies in, the U.S. at least, are following the rules. But that doesn't mean they can watch the entire population, yet. I hope. We can't really assume too much because we don't know anything really.

There is one thing, I have a friend who has a friend who's father apparently worked for the C.I.A. No way to know for sure except that father seems to be gone overseas all the time and is quite psychotic. The stories I hear from them definitely do not coincide with the law. Of course, I have no real way of knowing if it's true so I take everything they say with a grain of sand. It sucks being a civilian.

[Dredric1]

heres an idea

hey any spying agency
turn the "hello" at the bottom of the page to "goodbye"
i believe in you
you have the power
just one mouse clik away
well wat are you waiting for change it
________

hello

________
p.s. you can always say dredric1 did it

[TheGardener]

From the UK Side of things:
http://www.itpro.co.uk/610662/government-looks-to-isps-as-it-cuts-comms-database-plan

Will this be us in a few years - Is it already but not publicized?

Always assume you're being watched and don't do anything that you would not want someone to watch. Then your worries will be none.

[aNewHobby4me]

From the UK Side of things:
http://www.itpro.co.uk/610662/government-looks-to-isps-as-it-cuts-comms-database-plan

Great article. Thanks. Neatly summed up with:

“Ministers are making a distinction between content and communications data into sound-bite of the year. But it is spurious. Officials from dozens of departments and quangos could know what you read online, and who all your friends are, who you emailed, when, and where you were when you did so - all without a warrant. Tracking your your every move is more efficiently creepy than reading your letters.”

Always assume you're being watched and don't do anything that you would not want someone to watch. Then your worries will be none.

Perhaps not worry-free, but less of a target (hopefully).

Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759

[Heath Winchester]

http://www.itpro.co.uk/608613/what-you- ... t-id-cards

Another even more disturbing article. I guess if you live in the UK you'd better start protesting a bit and making your voice heard as much as possible. Some people are already starting to leave the UK before their Visas run out.

[nosidius]

i find it funny no one has mentioned the DoD, they're computing power is more than any other agency (minus the CIA, but they never focus, they have to many worries at once) really, and they get to focus on specific problems. In addition to that, while the CIA generally gets the best, DoD gets the next best on the computer front (as is proved by the fact that they do more for the military than pretty much any other gov section does)

and lets not forget that chuck is actually false, pls?!? it gets annoying..........