# Do various government agencies routinely monitor our on-line searching/clicking behavior?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-various-government-agencies-routinely-monitor-our-on-line-searching-clicking-behavior/1003639>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [July 2, 2024, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-various-government-agencies-routinely-monitor-our-on-line-searching-clicking-behavior/1003639 "2024-07-02T16:05:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\
**Post date:** [July 4, 2024, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-various-government-agencies-routinely-monitor-our-on-line-searching-clicking-behavior/1003639/21 "2024-07-04T15:38:51Z")

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> [@LSLGuy](#):
>
> if the definition of “crime” is changed to include “writing things critical of the government or its leader on the internet”, as is the case in so many authoritarian countries, well … some of us might have a problem with that.

If it was, then yes.

Under the Constitution, it can’t have been.

But, of course, the Constitution is only as meaningful as the Executive takes it. For Obama and Biden, I expect that everything was above board. Under Trump, I’d assume that he pushed for it to be otherwise but that he got little support for that. Hopefully, we don’t see if he has better success in a second term.

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**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2024, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-various-government-agencies-routinely-monitor-our-on-line-searching-clicking-behavior/1003639/22 "2024-07-06T22:37:22Z")

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> [@StarvingButStrong](#):
>
> > [@kayaker](#):
> >
> > Have you looked into oak leaf hydrangeas? Much more interesting than the typical hydrangeas.
> 
> Very funny.

No, seriously.  
[![](https://i.imgur.com/2HmrQ8l.jpeg) ](https://i.imgur.com/2HmrQ8l.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2024, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-various-government-agencies-routinely-monitor-our-on-line-searching-clicking-behavior/1003639/23 "2024-07-06T23:06:49Z")

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Yes, and if trump wins, you are all in a lot of trouble.

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