wire tapes: protection vs. privacy

wire tapes


Dear ACLU Supporter,

The Obama administration and law enforcement officials are seeking greater power to invade your privacy.

Sign the ACLU's petition to Attorney General Holder: Rein in FBI surveillance power.


Did you hear about this? The Obama administration is seeking to expand the government's ability to conduct invasive surveillance online.1

This outrageous proposal would mandate that all online communications services use technologies that would make it easier for the government to collect private communications and decode encrypted messages that Americans send. This includes communications sent using texting platforms, BlackBerries, social networking sites, and other "peer to peer" communications software such as Skype.

While the country tends to other issues, the administration and law enforcement officials are seeking greater power to invade your privacy. We must take a stand against this proposal before it even makes its way to Congress.

Sign the ACLU's petition to Attorney General Holder: Rein in FBI surveillance power.


Former president George w. bush is one of the first people that comes to my mine when I think about the patriot act. The news is always beating this fact into our heads, but recently the Obama administration has started trying to expand the government’s ability to wire tape. If Obama gets his wish not only will the government be able to hear our phone calls, but will also be able to read our text messages. Of course the strategy for passing this law is the same as most that come about these days; defense against terrorists. Its hard for anyone to go against this type of idea. No one, save for the people the government might be watching, doesn’t want defense against terrorist, however though, few people want a unknown 3rd party to read their personal info. Where can we draw the line though?
The truth of the matter is the government does not have the man power or the money to read everyone’s texts so 99% of us might go our entire lives without ever having one government official read our texts ever. The only people that have anything to worry about are people with things to hide. Saying that though, who doesn’t have something to hide? And on top of that, how will this work constitutionally? Will having your texts read out loud be a violation of the self incrimination protection set out in the 5th amendment? Im sure if it passes that will be a challenge to it. maybe with the help of the ACLU though it might never get through. Or maybe it needs to get through. Only time will tell.