Government spying has been a huge hot topic issue over the past twelve months. Now major tech giants are banning together to limit this "privacy intrusion". Here is the latest news on their efforts.
http://money.cnn.com/2013/12/09/technology/nsa-government-spying/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/05/tech/web/microsoft-nsa-snooping/index.html
What are your thoughts on government spying? Is it something that effects your day to day life? Do you think they are overstepping or simply just doing their jobs? Share your thoughts!
I do not feel that it is right for the government to spy. They think they are just keeping people safe, but some people do not feel that way. People want their privacy online to stay private or only open to those whom they let see.
ReplyDeleteThis does not effect me. If they look at twitter and Facebook, I do not really care. It does not make me feel good, but I have nothing illegal going on. I think they should probably find something else to pay attention to instead of spying.
I don't like the government spying on us one bit, and I agree that they probably have more important things to do then spy on their own citizens!
DeleteI agree it's not right and they should stop spying on us.
DeleteI agree with the whole find something else to pay attention to instead of spying.
Deleteside note - these confirmation number things anyone else wondering who got the job to run around and take pictures of people house numbers? I'm just waiting for mine to pop up.
I agree with you and the others comments that the government could be doing other things besides worrying about what people are doing on their internet. I think it is a very strong invasion of privacy.
DeleteI agree we should have our own privacy.
DeleteFirst off I would like to ask the class if anyone has ever read the privacy agreement you click accept on, on here or anywhere else? I wouldn't be so quick to jump on the bandwagon that large private corporations are here to protect our civil liberties.
ReplyDeleteI'm alright with our government spying on other countries, but when they start to spy on its own citizens its absolutely wrong. It use to be unconstitutional until 2001 when we passed the Patriot Act. I love the name, read the act and you will quickly began to notice that it is hands down one of the most dangerous pieces of paper in U.S. history.
When you start to take a look at the technology part of government spying it really is interesting. Just go on Google Earth zoom in to your house, you might think it is pretty cool. Now consider that those are public satellites that the government leases to Google. I would be willing to bet anything that the resolution capabilities of the private satellites are triple if not more.
The question of whether or not this effects my day to day life is a difficult one to answer. Do i think about this often, no. Does it bother me when it gets brought up, absolutely. I don't participate in any illegal activities online or anywhere else. They shouldn't have the ability to collect information in this manner on me or anyone else that is an american citizen.
Privacy went out the window October 26, 2001.
Great post Paul, I completely agree with you! I admit that I don't ever read privacy agreements (sometimes I skim them if I'm bored), usually I just click accept and who knows what I may actually be accepting.
DeleteI think that the government should have to have reasonable suspicion before they are allowed to invade the privacy of an American citizen.
Good point with the private satellites and not knowing what they are capable of seeing. Will we ever know ? my guess is no or not until they come out with something more powerful and those are old news.
DeleteGood point Joe. I really don't think we will see the technology used in government satellites open to the public for a long time.
DeleteI am glad that our government has the advanced technology that it does in order to watch other countries and gain intelligence that helps keep our country safe. I do not, however, feel safe anymore when our government starts using that technology to spy on its own people. It is pretty scary to think that all of the information that I have online (even on "safe" and "secured" places, such as my banking info) could easily be accessed by the government.
ReplyDeleteIt is incredible to think how much sensitive personal information is out there on the internet. We use it for posting photos, shopping, banking, communication, and so much more. The internet is great because it has made life more convenient, but I don't think most of us realize that this convenience may come at the cost of our privacy.
Personally I don't worry too much about the government spying on me, I'm sure I'm not at the top of their list. It does make me upset though that they have been invading the privacy of their citizens, and it also makes me worry about how many other people could access my information if they wanted to.
I've noticed others post the same thing that you did, as far as not worrying about the government looking into your personal information because you'r not doing anything wrong. I have a pretty big problem with this philosophy. We should be innocent until proven guilty. It just feels like we are being treated the other way around. Yes, you might not have anything to hide, but what if you found out there is a complete profile out there with every little detail of your personal life? I'm talking about way more detailed than Facebook.
DeleteI am on the fence about this subject. I used to think "No, they should not be spying on us!", but now I am rethinking that. When it comes to spying on us over the internet, I highly doubt the government is just doing it for the fun of it, they probably have good reason and are looking for something that dangers our country and its citizens. I think that we as citizens shouldn't be worried that the government can see what we are doing online, but I also believe that we are "the land of the free" and that should also apply to our online habits.
ReplyDeleteI had pretty much the same thoughts that they obviously have good reasons, but it is never good feeling watched all the time.
DeleteI'm glad someone feels the same way as me about this. I can see the benefits from one point and also the benefits from the other.
DeleteI agree with your point of land of the free but you must also take into consideration what the government is. A group of people elected to protect and serve the people.
DeleteThe last year of debate on the ethical balance of the NSA spying on U,S, citizens has been an interesting one to say the least, and when I first heard the NSA was doing this, I was not surprised, I was not taken aback, and as a matter of fact I was quite intrigued that no one assumed the government was watching us. In a world where every person with a phone generates as much metadata as we do, how could they not be watching us. I do understand why they do it, what the purpose is, but the thing with this whole NSA situation that has me so upset is that they are not being open about it. They are not being held accountable for their actions, no one is holding their leash. The courts that make decisions on what the NSA can and cannot do are being kept a secret from the public, when in fact it should be our right to know. I think that the data the government collects should only be usable when the user is already under suspicion or if it triggers certain flags that actually seem like they put peoples lives at risk. Unfortunately no matter what happens, unless something major changes in the way our government looks at privacy I do not believe this situation is gonna resolve itself.
ReplyDeleteGood points for sure. I agree totally with the publicity of the NSA, they shouldn't be hiding from us if we cant hide from them.
Deletegreat points for sure. I think you are correct when you say they should be open archives to see what they actuall y have
DeleteI definitely do not like that NSA has access to so much of our daily lives if it wants too. Honestly I don't know the boundaries the NSA has, but guessing from all of the outbursts recently it is very intruding. I am also not a fan how hypocritical the NSA is towards our American Freedom.The government spying on me doesn't effect my daily life that I know of. For all I know I could be being watched right now. I think in many cases they are overstepping their bounds, but I also understand the concept of the NSA.
ReplyDeletei dont mind them spying thats there job they do what they have to do every day just like we do what we have to do every day by going to work or going to school i think if we just ignore and pay it no mind nothing will come of it. its not like everything you do is being written down and annualized.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. They are simply doing their best to keep us safe and I highly doubt that they are monitoring every monotonous conversation that people have.
DeleteI think we should know everything about the government too, if it's okay for them to spy on us then it should be okay for us to spy on them.
DeleteThis subject is very interesting and can be very tricky for many reasons. I understand that the government is trying to keep us safe. However, the way they go about it might not be the best way. Who am I to decide that though?
ReplyDeleteI work at GameStop and with the new consoles that were released we have heard many theories and stories about the government using the newly improved kinect to spy on people. I am not sure whether or not this is true and I'll admit that the idea is kind of creepy to me, but if it helps to safeguard our country maybe it is worth it? Not entirely sure where I stand on this, but I know that it is something I hear about often enough to be aware of people's opinions.
I personally think it'd be silly to spy on people with the kinect. Either way I can't really pick a side either.
DeleteGovernment spying is not okay because they are invading our privacy. What’s the point of having passwords on our cellphones and computers if our privacy is going to be invaded anyway? I dislike the fact that the government feels the need to spy on us in the name of keeping us safe from terrorism. A friend mine was once accused of being a terrorist because he always made phone calls outside of the country speaking a foreign language. Government spying does not affect my everyday life but there are some people whose lives are being affected. I think the government is overstepping their boundaries because it’s their job to protect and serve not spy on us. It’s inconvenient to know that NSA is spying on us through social media and our cellphones. I believe we can have 100 percent security without our privacy being invaded.
ReplyDeleteGovernment Spying I think is a gateway for them to just have reason to do what ever they desire. Do I ever think about what I say, no I feel if I am a huge concern for them to need to be spying on then, we have a much larger problem. So no it does not effect my day to day life. I honestly don't think I have ever typed something and had second thoughts pertaining to the NSA seeing it. After reading the articles the whole bank hacking thing kind of my makes you wonder as they said " Who else can hack it".
ReplyDeleteI think they should put forth a little more effort in other areas then spying and searching through everyone's emails.
I'm not sure how I feel about government spying. I believe that they think they're helping us but in the end it could be hurting us. What they're doing is breaking the trust we have in our government. Taking away privacy is wrong, but using it for the wrong reasons is also wrong.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you when you say they are trying to help but in the end it could only hurt us. I feel like nothing is really personal because it feels like someone is always watching you.
DeleteI agree that taking privacy is wrong. Especially if it is for a bad reason.
DeleteCompletely agree with the trust part. I think that many people put no trust in the government and think that the government is bad because they have never been "truthful." But it could be for our own good, nobody really knows.
DeleteI think that the government shouldn't be aloud to spy on us like that. I think that it affects me and a lot of people my age today because most of the teens or college students my age are usually always on their phone. I really think that they are overstepping and even crossing boundries. I mean we are the home of the free right?
ReplyDeleteI think they could be crossing some boundaries and abusing their power to access this info.
Deletethey are definitely taking it a little over the top. they are overstepping their boundaries way more than they should be.
Deletei agree its not right we deserve our privacy just like they do and their just abusing the power they have witch isn't right.
DeleteI agree but disagree with this topic. I think that it could be a good thing for jobs and other things that could affect us in a negative way. I don't feel like the government spy on us for entertainment but for information on what you are like. I also think that it kind of is an invasion of privacy that doesn't need to be brought up with the government and its not really any of their business about what people look at or do on their personal internet. I think that it affects people a lot with how much technology is growing and how easy it is to have internet access anywhere at anytime. I think that there is a certain extent that government should take without crossing the line of invasion of personal privacy.
ReplyDeleteI think that there shouldn't be spying on Citizens unless there is probable cause. It makes me feel uncomfortable thinking that they could be watching what I am typing right now. I do not like that. However, if they believe that someone is a threat and there is a good reason to watch them I think that is better. I do understand that they are trying to protect our country, but it is kind of over board.
ReplyDeleteI think that government spying is illegal because they are violating the privacy of million of users. I am glad that Mark Zuckerberg and Marissa Mayer are against surveillance of private citizens online. This does not effect me; however, I don’t think the internet is a safe tool anymore. In some cases the government is overstepping on getting information. For example, the recent activity of the National Security Agency spying sites like Google and Yahoo.
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts on the whole government spying is something that I just brush off my shoulders. I look at it as if I knew the government was spying on me then I must be doing something wrong, like if I was planning a terrorist attack and I found out the government was spying on me then yeah they should spy on me. My whole thing is they are just doing their jobs, the government was formed by the founding fathers that they should protect the body of the people and if spying on bad people is protecting me. then by all means I am fine with it.
ReplyDeletei agree with just brushing it off your shoulder i believe its really nothing you should stress about unless you are doing something illegal.
DeleteI agree, its not a big deal that they spy on people that should be spied on, its just the fact that they can do it to anyone.
DeleteI understand the government is doing their jobs to make sure we are kept safe, but it is kind of annoying knowing that you cant have your own personal life. It does not affect me at all I guess i have never really thought about it, or done anything that it really bothers me. I think it is good to spy on certain things maybe like if something suspicious is going on check it out. I just think it is a little over the top.
ReplyDeleteI agree, its over the top.
DeleteI agree that it is a good thing to spy on just some certain things.
DeleteIt's good they are keeping their eye out for potential crime or terrorist activity.
DeleteI think that the government has a right to spy on people to keep our country safe, but at the same time, do they have to spy on everyone? Spy on the people that actually have a threat to the country and not the actual whole country. I guess this doesn't effect my everyday life now that I think of it, but its the thought of having the government be able to look at my personal life and find out anything they want, that's what's scary about it. I think that the government is doing their job in some ways, but in other ways, I feel like they want to be able to control everyone and maybe even in the future actually be able to do so in some way or another. Everything is changing with technology and with people, that anything could happen. The next thing we know, our babies are going to be programmed with microchips to keep track of where people are and we ourselves might eventually have to have one as well. Its all a matter of time.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the government has the right to spy to keep our country safe. I also agree with the comment asking if they really do need to spy on everyone!
DeleteWith this subject I am really undecided with how I feel. I think that this can be a good thing but also can be a negative thing. I think this can be good because this is one way that the government can protect us for possible attacks. By the government being able to have access to spying they can possible discover information before it would be to late. I also think that this can be a negative thing as well. This is feel is an invasion of people's privacy. People have the right to keep certain information hidden that they do not want other people to see. This does not really affect my day to day life. I do not stop and think "Hey maybe the government might find this." As far as them stepping over the line with spying I can't decide if they are or not. Part of me says they do it for safety part of me says that they also do it just because they can.
ReplyDeletei feel that the government shouldn't be able to spy on us to a certain extend because at the end of the day were are giving them their privacy so why can't we be allowed to have our on were humans just like them. What they're doing is breaking the trust we have in our government. Last time i checked this is a free country and overall they are just crossing boundaries and i dont like it and im sure my fellow piers don't either.
ReplyDeleteI don't like the fact that the government can spy on us i believe that we should have our own privacy. I feel that a lot goes on with the government that isn't fair but we dont spy on them i feel that it is not fair. This being a free country we should not be watched.
ReplyDeleteI think that's what upsets so many people is that it's a free country but yet we are losing our privacy.
DeleteI personally don't care what the government sees. I know many people are angry over what they can see and I do agree that it is an invasion of privacy. I think that instead of spying they could work out an agreement that allows them to intervene only when there is evidence to do so. I think they have crossed the boundaries to a certain point but I can't help but think they are just doing their job to protect us. It's kind of one of those situations where if you have nothing to hide then why should it matter.
ReplyDeleteI honestly do not put much thought into government spying on a day to day basis, but that does not mean that it has no affect on my life daily. I think that more things are overlooked by the government than we can even imagine and that thought scares me. Literally nothing we ever say or do goes unseen or heard, especially dealing with social media and cellphones. I don't particularly agree with the whole "spying" thing, but at the same time, I don't think our government would waste their time doing it if it wasn't for our own good.
ReplyDeleteI do not really think too much about the government spying issue. A part of me thinks that this is wrong, but the other part of me thinks it is necessary. There are so many horrible tragedies that have taken place that I think a certain amount is necessary to keep us all safe. They need to watch the boundaries though as well.
ReplyDelete