Internet Surveillance: Spying on you for good reasons

Will you allow the police or the government to spy upon your Internet activity in order to catch criminals? That is the $64,000 question regarding the surveillance of US citizens by the police, the military, and other government authorities. Sen. Joe Biden (who I like) has one idea that I am not to keen about but…. While the intent is good, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.  

Never before in history have the “Authorities” had such an easy time to track a person’s pursuit of his secret desires. And never before in history have people had such easy access to pursue the objects of their secret desires. The Internet allows a person to download pornography, collect pictures of torture and death, receive daily religious messages, view webcams and videos of enemy countries, hear hate-filled speeches, read “subversive” literature, and collect information on just about any disgusting thing one can think of (and some things one has not thought of before). Some of these things include child pornography, snuff films, torture videos, drug usage, alcohol drinking by minors, or other illegal or immoral actions.

The criminal law system is used to punish people that engage in what society has determined to be unacceptable actions: illicit drug usage, killing, kidnapping, damaging property, child exploitation, and all of those other things that decent “law abiding” people find reprehensible. The criminal law system is also used to punish people who are not engaged in the crime but may be part of a system that supports the criminal: money launderers, distributors of child pornography, conspirators in a crime, and enablers of criminal activity, like knowingly selling a gun to someone that intends to murder somebody.

Prior to now, the collection of information on potential illegal activity was difficult to obtain. The knowledge of who was committing illegal acts (and who was curious about illegal acts) was largely retained by the criminal class and they were not talking. We spoke of the underbelly of society where nefarious deeds occurred like prostitution, drug usage, and gambling. But today’s underbelly can be found on YouTube, Yahoo, and Google with a few keystrokes.

Should the police be permitted to collect information on your neighbor’s internet activity to find out if he  is downloading child pornography? Should the police be permitted to collect internet information on suspected drug gang members? Should the police be permitted to collect information on your neighbor who is listening to speeches on the destruction of America and the rise of Islam? Should the police be permitted to collect information on the internet activities of members of the KKK or members of the American Nazi Party or members of paramilitary groups in the US? Should the police be permitted to collect information on religious extemists?

Should the police be allowed to collect information on you because you buy things from Frederick’s of Hollywood? Should the police be allowed to collect information on you because they saw your car parked outside of a pawn shop that deals in stolen goods? Should police be allowed to collect information on you because your next door neighbor is downloading child pornography and you barbecue together? Should police be allowed to collect information on you because your 19 year old son that lives at home has been downloading pornography and looked at some child pornography pictures one time? Should police be allowed to collect information on you because your 16 year old daughter put naked pictures of herself on the internet for her boy friend? Should police be allowed to collect informationon you because you work in a government building or for a government agency? Should the police be able to collect information on you because they received an anonymous tip that you were doing something illegal or immoral?

What are the “good” reasons to spy upon people’s internet activity  and what are the “bad” reasons? Who will decide what is a good or a bad reason? The Police? The Courts? Your Legislature?

Who?