Should The Government Be Monitored

The Internet powers our country. Not only do hundreds of millions of Americans use it daily, our government and states use it to do important national and international business. Our government already utilizes it to monitor the activity of its people. This monitoring has especially risen after events such as the Boston Bombing and the attacks of 9/11. The main reason that the government does this is to keep us safe. If the government puts more slack on this matter, then it will give a chance for terrorists to complete their objective. The normal person does not know how many terrorist attacks may have been stopped in the past years due to this surveillance, and how many lives it may have saved. Therefore, we cannot let our government halt

For over two centuries American citizens have bided by the first 10 commandments in the United States Constitution, otherwise known as the Bill of Rights, for protection over their personal liberties from the United States government. These personal liberties include, but are not limited to: The freedom of religion, speech, and press, the protection of privacy, and the right to life, liberty, and property. These personal liberties protected by the government, from the government, have always been strictly enforced with no unknown territory. That is until approximately three decades ago when the Internet was created. Over the last twenty-seven years technology has been quickly advancing creating an unknown world of the Internet and

In the last 2 decades the U.S has endured numerous attacks against civilians, that could possibly have been prevented by reading the conversations of these individuals/groups. The NSA is focused on preventing future attacks from happening by spying on it’s civilians. To what extent should they be able to monitor us?

What if you were being watched twenty-four seven, would you act any different. The government interprets that watching the public will prevent and stop many attacks on our country. Many other individuals argue that this is an invasion of our privacy and basic freedom.The government watches us through security cameras, our cellphones, computers, tablets, and even televisions; they also track our emails, texts, phone calls, and social media. Since Edward Snowden, a former CIA agent, leaked classified information from the NSA without authorization; this topic has been very popular and there have been many interpretations of it.

Should the NSA and United States government be allowed to spy on and collect information on its citizens? The NSA stands for National Security Agency and they are in charge of security and protection of the United States. Some may ask where the title of privacy comes into play. Some may say that it is only for protection to keep the country safe, but in all reality should the NSA be allowed to without question invade of privacy and look through our cellular data over the internet? The privacy of the citizens of the United States are at play today, and this is a game that not everyone wants to play.

Imagine a world where your every move was being monitored. A dark world where it is no secret who you are, where you have been and who you associate with; now include who you love, who you pray to and what you just ate for dinner. The word privacy doesn’t exist in such world and it is such world that we are heading to.“Big Brother is watching you!” This quote by George Orwell couldn’t have been truer. Every aspect of our lives is being sorted through as Big Data this very moment. Government surveillance has prevailed by the name of security. But, is government surveillance of internet digital communications like social networks, cell phone calls, text messages, and emails really a public service of security? Or

"According to the First Amendment, Congress cannot prohibit the freedoms of speech, or the press. There has been controversy over the government overstepping its lines involving internet content. I believe that the government has the right monitor emails and social media accounts if there is a threat of potential terrorism. I also believe in net neutrality. But there is a stopping point. I do not think it is right for schools to monitor emails and social media accounts

Trying to avoid a totalitarian, propaganda-based regime like Orwell wrote about, policy-makers still have to find a way to monitor technology and protect national security. The answer is not simple, but the key is finding the right point in the gray area that lies between complete and no privacy. American citizens have a right to privacy. They have the right to do what they choose without the government monitoring their every move. As Henry David Thoreau wrote, “That government is best which governs least.”

The internet is an amazing technological advancement that opened the door to a connected society. Since the early days of the internet, people have built ways to safeguard their possessions with various security systems from thieves. Once people are in the cyberspace securing personal items or information gets a little trickier. It is common knowledge to assume government agencies have the means and possible authority to search the internet in its entirety, but should people grow mad over this blatant invasion of privacy? Consider this; what if accepting the government’s access to all information in cyberspace will help them easily catch terrorists, thieves, cyber bullies, and other nuisances? In the public space that is the internet, privacy

As years go by and our technology progresses we become increasingly more reliant on Internet. These new developments make it easier for the government to access our personal online activities. The government is able to see and control every detail of what we do online. They are able to see what we do, where we go, and whom we talk to. The government is able to track any emails we receive or send out along with any social media activity that takes place. This type of government involvement is very debated, the most common defense heard is that the government is trying to prevent bombing threats and that this is a way in which they gain knowledge about someone who may be making a bomb. Also with the recent events going on it is also a way for them to know if citizens have communicated or worked with Isis. Some involvement by government is understandable and reasonable, however the length at which they are going to obtain this information and evidence has become increasingly disrespectful. It is one thing for the government to look through personal information, but for companies such as, Google to send out that personal information to other companies that we know nothing about is another way in which we, as citizens, lose even more control. The government not only threatens our Internet privacy, but also “chills free speech and free

"Nowadays, there are many dangers online; Cyberbullying, group organizations (for corrupt causes), and even videos showing methods that can cause harm are a few examples. I believe the US government, of any kind, should have the authority to monitor the internet; but only for the protection of the people as monitoring internet content, or personal emails/searches does violate the 1st and 4th amendment. They should be able to monitor certain words or searches, such as ISIS, BOMBS, ATTACKS, TERRORISM, and VIOLENT HATE CRIMES, etc. It would be done in order to protect the nation from a potential violent outbreak or even hate crimes.

When I think of what intelligence surveillance is things such as the CIA and covert espionage come to mind. Like the U.S. spying on foreign countries to gather intelligence, but it is not just foreign countries that are being spied on. The U.S. also conducts surveillance on its own citizens because of the rising fear of terrorism. Technology is rapidly progressing and techniques in which the U.S. Government can conduct surveillance are progressing with it. There are laws set in place that prevent unlawful gathering of surveillance and laws that aid the government in conducting surveillance.

"Who would have imagined in 1990 that social media and the internet would have such a profound impact on all areas of life: human relationships, domestic and global trade, education, entertainment? Now it is nearly impossible to live outside of the technological empire of Apple, Samsung, Microsoft, Google, or other tech companies. The pervasive nature of technology has influenced the political world as well, involving recent events such as Hillary Clinton’s email scandal, Net Neutrality, or President Trump’s spontaneous and often ridiculous Tweets. The Technological Age has caused a new debate: the government’s role in monitoring internet activity. Constitutional ideals suggest that the federal, state, and local government should monitor the internet activity of its officials, but it should not monitor the activity of its citizens.

It was once said by Benjamin Franklin, “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” Franklin clearly expresses his belief that giving up freedom is not worth gaining security. Privacy is a freedom and fundamental right that is guaranteed to everyone, but in this day and age the level of privacy is diminished in order to insure security. People should not have to sacrifice their privacy, especially unwilling, yet every post, every search, and every click is scrutinized by the government. The government abuses power when it controls society via technology.

Our privacy is our freedom. As long as it is legal, everyone deserves the right to do whatever they want without scrutiny or surveillance of anyone else, including the government. They should be allowed to go on the internet without being secretly monitored by some agency. When a person’s internet browsing is monitored for possible wrong doing or suspicious activity, we are punishing them without knowing whether they are guilty or not. This completely violates their constitutional and human rights. Without privacy we don’t have freedom.