Here is an account of one family's encounter with the surveillance state. Agents searched this family's house because of their Internet searches for the Boston bomber, backpacks, and pressure cookers raised suspicions that they might be terrorists. Of course, the agents did not have to show a warrant before searching the house or demonstrate probable cause to believe the family might be a threat before monitoring their Internet activity.
Campaign for Liberty will continue to oppose all unconstitutional monitoring of our Internet usage:
They mentioned that they do this about 100 times a week. And that 99 of those visits turn out to be nothing. I don’t know what happens on the other 1% of visits and I’m not sure I want to know what my neighbors are up to.
45 minutes later, they shook my husband’s hand and left. That’s when he called me and relayed the story. That’s when I felt a sense of creeping dread take over. What else had I looked up? What kind of searches did I do that alone seemed innocent enough but put together could make someone suspicious? Were they judging me because my house was a mess (Oh my god, the joint terrorism task force was in my house and there were dirty dishes in my sink!). Mostly I felt a great sense of anxiety. This is where we are at. Where you have no expectation of privacy. Where trying to learn how to cook some lentils could possibly land you on a watch list. Where you have to watch every little thing you do because someone else is watching every little thing you do.
All I know is if I’m going to buy a pressure cooker in the near future, I’m not doing it online.
I’m scared. And not of the right things.
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