Domestic Eavesdropping
While the issue of domestic eavesdropping is being debated by our leaders, it is necessary we all realize some facts that are constant in today’s world. Whether for or against this the type of governmental domestic eavesdropping, or whether you are Republican or Democrat, and no matter how you view your privacy or government’s responsibility, there are some givens.
Take this little harmless BLOG for instance. It appears it is monitored by a governmental agency simply cued by some key words I may use. I realize my BLOG, by it’s very nature, is a public domain and anyone anywhere can monitor my writing. I just hope if a real person reads my writing, it will do that person some supervisory and spiritual good.
I maintain a BLOG statistic gathering device. It helps a writer know if their words are reaching the targeted audience, if anyone is really reading, exactly what stories they are reading, where their computer accesses my site, what other site they may have previously reviewed, their IP address, how many times they visit, on what days, at what times, if they return, and etc. How does it gather this information? It is gathered from your computer. It is a small free service I use. Had I more commercial aims, I could contract a service that would give me much more information, compile the data and predict trends, uses, and assemble forecasts. I don’t know if you have ever accessed and ordered from the Amazon web site but they gather so much information through this access it is downright creepy. The point I’m making is any large (or small) internet sites can and does gather information on you every single time you go to a site. I am not at all surprised or offended that my government is taking advantage of that ability.
The down side is a fear that monitoring will become so invasive it could lead to my privacy and civil rights being compromised. We then have visions of nations, such as China, where it becomes oppressive and deadly. I, personally, feel if we allow large commercial institutions to monitor our internet actions (through cookies and other means) are we wanting to cripple our government’s efforts to protect us against terrorism by pretending it compromises are security sensibilities? Each American needs to be aware of what is really happening in the “whole” picture of monitoring before we make blind pretenses of indignation about the government. We should rebel and protest the invasion of our civil rights and our privacy. But to focus only on the government and not on the cookie placed on your computer when you ordered your latest toys are just wrong priorities. How many of us really know who owns the company that places that cookie on our computer? Have you researched their political and governmental affiliations? Do they make philanthropic contributions in a way that pleases your own standards? Simply because they do not come under the media’s scrutiny and because they do not posture to political party rhetoric doesn’t mean they don’t use the information gained from your personal actions to further a cause that could be as compromising to your personal safety as any government monitoring you may envision.
Surveillance is a touchy and complicated issue. No matter where you stand on the issue, make sure that stand comes from being fully informed. Naivety is only cute when in children. The public debate over domestic eavesdropping is good for a country that values free speech and privacy. The debate over what is right for our county has been what makes our county strong for all of us. But, realize there has been no debate about the compromising of your freedoms regarding commercial and retail monitoring of your activities. When a little BLOGger like myself can gain so much information about you from a simple free stat counter, can you imagine what others, more wealthy or more inquisitive, may gain on your personal facts.
As so much of America was horrified when information was possibly compromised about Veterans when a computer was stolen, have you stopped to think how much information you voluntarily give away every time you access the net? The internet is not a bad thing in and of itself. Using it properly and realizing just what you are giving away is important. Likewise, allowing your government the ability to use information to protect Americans is necessary but must be used properly. Make yourself aware of the boundaries of both and encourage those boundaries be public and be protective not only of the individual but our country as a whole.
And in so much as this is a Christian leadership BLOG, let me remind you of Scriptural comments in Matthew 7:15-20 “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”
Take this little harmless BLOG for instance. It appears it is monitored by a governmental agency simply cued by some key words I may use. I realize my BLOG, by it’s very nature, is a public domain and anyone anywhere can monitor my writing. I just hope if a real person reads my writing, it will do that person some supervisory and spiritual good.
I maintain a BLOG statistic gathering device. It helps a writer know if their words are reaching the targeted audience, if anyone is really reading, exactly what stories they are reading, where their computer accesses my site, what other site they may have previously reviewed, their IP address, how many times they visit, on what days, at what times, if they return, and etc. How does it gather this information? It is gathered from your computer. It is a small free service I use. Had I more commercial aims, I could contract a service that would give me much more information, compile the data and predict trends, uses, and assemble forecasts. I don’t know if you have ever accessed and ordered from the Amazon web site but they gather so much information through this access it is downright creepy. The point I’m making is any large (or small) internet sites can and does gather information on you every single time you go to a site. I am not at all surprised or offended that my government is taking advantage of that ability.
The down side is a fear that monitoring will become so invasive it could lead to my privacy and civil rights being compromised. We then have visions of nations, such as China, where it becomes oppressive and deadly. I, personally, feel if we allow large commercial institutions to monitor our internet actions (through cookies and other means) are we wanting to cripple our government’s efforts to protect us against terrorism by pretending it compromises are security sensibilities? Each American needs to be aware of what is really happening in the “whole” picture of monitoring before we make blind pretenses of indignation about the government. We should rebel and protest the invasion of our civil rights and our privacy. But to focus only on the government and not on the cookie placed on your computer when you ordered your latest toys are just wrong priorities. How many of us really know who owns the company that places that cookie on our computer? Have you researched their political and governmental affiliations? Do they make philanthropic contributions in a way that pleases your own standards? Simply because they do not come under the media’s scrutiny and because they do not posture to political party rhetoric doesn’t mean they don’t use the information gained from your personal actions to further a cause that could be as compromising to your personal safety as any government monitoring you may envision.
Surveillance is a touchy and complicated issue. No matter where you stand on the issue, make sure that stand comes from being fully informed. Naivety is only cute when in children. The public debate over domestic eavesdropping is good for a country that values free speech and privacy. The debate over what is right for our county has been what makes our county strong for all of us. But, realize there has been no debate about the compromising of your freedoms regarding commercial and retail monitoring of your activities. When a little BLOGger like myself can gain so much information about you from a simple free stat counter, can you imagine what others, more wealthy or more inquisitive, may gain on your personal facts.
As so much of America was horrified when information was possibly compromised about Veterans when a computer was stolen, have you stopped to think how much information you voluntarily give away every time you access the net? The internet is not a bad thing in and of itself. Using it properly and realizing just what you are giving away is important. Likewise, allowing your government the ability to use information to protect Americans is necessary but must be used properly. Make yourself aware of the boundaries of both and encourage those boundaries be public and be protective not only of the individual but our country as a whole.
And in so much as this is a Christian leadership BLOG, let me remind you of Scriptural comments in Matthew 7:15-20 “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”
posted by Diane Gibson at
8:45 AM
