Do you believe or feel that the government controls your phone calls and internet traffic?
144143
I believe that the gubment monitors every aspect of telecommunications. Bush is the crookedest mofo to have squatted in the whitehouse in years. He has allowed spying in the USA under the guise that he is trying to foil terrorism. His dad used to be the deputy director of the CIA. So he has and will to continue to do whatever he and his vp deputy dog want to do.
829735
I knew they had been doing it all along. Seriously I dont mean that to sound crazy, but I assumed the government monitored everything already. I heard along time ago from someone when I was a kid that they have super computers that filter all telephone conversations and certain words and phrases are flagged for follow up. Honestly they have always gone too far and it will never stop as long as there are people who are like well if I have nothing to hide what does it matter. If you are not willing to stand up and fight for the freedoms our forfathers died for you don't deserve them. If you are willing to give up those rights to keep you safe from a shadowy elusive terrorist you dont deserve them.
398330
Well, I don't worry about it. What you said is true, about having nothing to hide. I really don't like the idea about my privacy being invavded, but look at it this way. They are not just going to listen in for no reason. If you are acting suspicious, such as calling different countries frequently, and you are not associated with any kind of place that should be calling different coutries, then you would probably be a suspect. Or say, you are a suspected terrorist. I have no problem with things like that. They won't listen unless they have a reason. And for that I am thankful, because they are trying to better protect me and my family.
53756
I strongly believe in our right to privacy. However they are not listening to my phone calls, and if it would save American lives then I would gladly let them listen. One previous answer quoted Ben Franklin. However Franklin lived in a much different time and couldn't even imagine the enemyies we are facing today. How would you feel if they could have avoided the 911 attack by listening to a phone call and didn't because they did not want to infringe on the civil liberties of a few wack jobs.
221418
Not at all.\n\nThere are millions of people screaming, "Unfair! You are violating my rights!" Yet, how many people can actually say the have been a subject of the so-called "domesticy spying" program? How many people have actually had their phones tapped and conversations recorded?\n\nFor that matter, how many people have been the subject of a Patriot Act investigation? How many have had their library records looked at? How many have had their information spread across every intelligence agency in the nation?\n\nMy point is this: The only people who are being targeted are being targeted for a REASON. The government does not just indiscriminately say, "Let's listen in on John Q. Public's conversation for sh!ts and giggles today." Uncle Sam does not just pick phone numbers at random to listen to. There is a REASON they investigate who they do. And I, for one, WANT them investigated. If they are doing no wrong, the investigation will clear them. But if they ARE doing wrong, I sure as hell hope we are doing EVERYTHING POSSIBLE to stop them. The next attack could cost hundreds of thousands of American lives.\n\n"When NSA goes after the content of a communication under this authorization from the president, the NSA has already established its reasons for being interested in that specific communication. I've said in other places this isn't a drift net over Lackawanna or Freemont or Dearborn, grabbing all communications and then sifting them out."\n\n-- Gen. Michael Hayden (Deputy Director of National Intelligence)\n\nBottom line: If your phone hasn't been tapped, your rights have not been violated. If you are not engaging in any illegal activity, chances are 99.999% that you phone hasn't been tapped.
273729
No. To assume that young people cannot control themselves is to overlook the fact that most of them probably can, and to let underfunded police and bad parents off the hook. It succumbs to the people who get nervous because they believe stories they got told. The people who got lied to get what they want, and people who didn't do anything get kicked off the street for nothing other than being young.\n\nAnd, no, because if you give governments an inch, they will take a mile.
1139920
You think the goverment knew before hand?????   i think  your fulla shit too
78346
Of course.  That is what has made me laugh about this wire tapping NSA situation.  We have been watched since the government realized years and years ago they can't trust the american people. Every thing you do is recorded and stored somewhere.  We are being watched and we will always be watched.
652400
Yes, because I'm not a criminal so they have no right to collect data on me.  They don't need to listen in on things to know details of my life.  They can figure out easily how often I call my doctor, how often bill collectors call me, how often I stay in touch with family and where they are, what products I purchase via phone, how often I order pizza, and whether or not I cheat on my wife.  \n\nI don't want some geek sitting in a control room somewhere figuring that out, its just creepy...and unconstitutional...and "1984".  Please place me on the "Do Not Monitor" list, thanks.
1163405
Noone ever owned it that I'm aware of.  There isn't really one person or group of people that created it.  It's been developing for a few decades, and is not anything like what it originally began as.  Currently the FCC makes and enforces rules for the internet.  Soon, it will be your internet access provider i.e. Comcast, AT&T, etc. who will decide how the internet works, if you can access it, and what websites you will be able to see.  You can thank Congress for that.
649526
We are under Republican Martial Law...\nNo one has any rights or freedom...\nRepublicans are tapping your phones, \ntracking your internet interests...\nin your bedrooms, soon to be in your \nbathrooms being the poop sniffers that they are.
527646
It is a form of government where you answer to the state, and the control over you is maintained bu themilitary, or secret police. Uou are under constant censorship, and the government  tightly controls  industry and finances.
452863
Absolutely not. The internet is controlled by humans, it doesn't expand on its own. It doesn't have the ability to expand on its own and it never will have the ability to learn anything. It doesn't learn. Thats like filling a pitcher with jello and saying, "Look it's a living being. It has a structure, it holds what i put into it and it wiggles when i touch it!!"
436119
How the heck would we know?  Does this government freely share information?
111405
Let's not be naive, what is right or legal will not stop those with power from learning what they want to know. Our technological advances in the field of communications have presented an irresistible opportunity for those with power to abuse our rights. Our only hope for the future is that these powers are somewhat benevolent torward us. The only place you can know,... really know, that you have privacy, is the thoughts in your head.
25317
All the time. Big brother is watching you.\n\nNow whether someone will actually act on that information is a different matter. Usually they have to know something about what is going on and have government authorization for a phone-tap or computer-tap to be used in the court system.
595987
Absolutely not!!! It can be hacked or intercepted by the government without warrant. Treat the Internet as if it were a sidewalk and say just what you would say and do there.