NY Times Text

On Monday, September 27 I received a text the New York Times Text Alert, at 3:17 a.m., stating:

"U.S. Is Working to Ease Wiretapping on the Internet."

As I rolled over in bed, to check this text, I knew I was going to be further investigating the article later in the morning.

The article addresses that current technology, i.e. the internet, is evolving the way people are communicating with one another. Gone are the days where you chat on the phone for hours to your bff. But what they say is the real problem with this uprising in on-line communicating is that they are being "left in the dark" when it comes to terrorism and criminals.

Congress wants all e-mail transmitters, essentially every social network possible, to be compliant if a wiretap order is served.

My first thought, my first reaction: So now the government is not only going to be able to track me if they want, but they are going to be able to know, see, investigate every e-mail, every wall post, every, message, that I send out across the internet. So now I will literally have no privacy, ever?

Well the article does quote Valerie E. Caproni, of the FBI, where she states that this will only be allowed in "lawfully authorized intercepts."

Well who would regulate these intercepts? Is this an ethical dilemma of my freedom?

They discuss throughout the article that there could be severe consequences, loop holes, and other miscellaneous problems with developing these types of internet regulations.

I really do believe that this is going to cause a huge uproar as the Obama administration submits this to lawmakers (apparently next year.) This could open doors for many hackers to see people's information from across the nation. Along with, I really do feel like my freedom is slowly being taken away piece-by-piece from the government.

It really does seem like it could become a heated topic with individuals torn between what could be passed as new regulations. And although I do feel like this could be over taking my individual freedom rights, at the same time I have to consider the safety of my fellow American citizens and myself. Do I want these potential terrorists, or criminals to be allowed to plan operations, laugh about attacks, or recruit more individuals by way of the internet? Do I feel like the government should be allowed to get these internet wiretaps?

The article really posed this interesting concept of new regulations and I honestly do not know how I feel. It may cause an uproar, but perhaps an uproar is what is needed to help make the "right" decision in this right versus right situation.