23 yrs ago, AARP sent me a 50th yr birthday greeting, that's when I began to

[Flashmann]

7. When did you figure it out?

In the 70s when reading and hearing that the Gov. had the capability of automated computerized scanning of telephone traffic,flagging,for presumable follow-up, "buzzwords" like Dope,reefer,coke and a whole host of other illicit drug related words and phrases.It struck me then that this tactic could be,certainly WOULD be used in other areas.And that if computers could monitor phone traffic,there had to be a broad scope of other nefarious crap they could do.

I have an older 2nd cousin,who went into computer programming,when I was a 10 year old kid,in the early sixties.She told me often,through the years,that one day computers would take over and keep track of everything and everyone.I wrote her off as a nutzo until I started seeing those types of articles regarding surveillance,in the 70s.

I haven't though of any telephone as safe or secure since then.I NEVER thought computers were.EVER!