About the 'Terrorist Surveillance Program'

[Canuckistanian]

As I was reading ThomWV's excellent post here, it reminded me of a question I've been wondering about. I'd like to pose it to you.

How, exactly, has the knowledge that your government can spy on your every communication affected your actions? Do you do anything differently?

Do you think twice about the phrasing of your posts? The way you worded an email? Or did you ever just decide NOT to write that message at all because something made you say, "Hmmm, maybe I'd better not....".

Have you ever been careful about what you said on the telephone? Have you ever used a land line instead the cell phone for certain conversations? Arranged meetings just to avoid saying something over the phone altogether?

Do you ever wonder about the websites you visit or the purchases you made online? What if they were monitored? Is there a nagging little voice in the back of your head that says "Careful!"?

And you professionals out there. You doctors, lawyers, public servants and educators. Did you ever fear for the privacy of your clients or students?

And you political people who work on campaigns. Do you avoid using communication devices at all for certain conversations, knowing that the line is 'not secure' any more?

Now, it may be the case that you just don't give a damn. LET them hear what I have to say about them and oh, yeah, fuck you agent Mike. Or have you had the feeling all along that they've been routinely tapping phones since Nixon?

Now, I'm Canadian and I'm fairly confident that my government is not actively spying on me. I'm not 100% certain, but we still have a culture of fairness, justice and leaders who are not totally insane.

But living in the USA right now with this knowledge is something that would scare the willies out of me.