# What are the odds that the government is monitoring my online activities? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 29, 2002, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-odds-that-the-government-is-monitoring-my-online-activities/130043 "2002-09-29T00:53:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![insider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@insider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/insider)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2002, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-odds-that-the-government-is-monitoring-my-online-activities/130043/1 "2002-09-29T00:53:36Z")
What are the odds that the Federal government is monitoring the activity on my computer and/or at this website? Is it possible to monitor all email and filter it to determine antigovernment activities? ---
**Author:** ![cdhostage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@cdhostage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cdhostage)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2002, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-odds-that-the-government-is-monitoring-my-online-activities/130043/2 "2002-09-29T00:59:02Z")
impossible to estimate numerical odds of Big Brother’s interest in you, due to the general fluidity of data in the world today. It’s very likely that recordings are made of your actions and stored and acted on by commercial entities, as well as “official” government records and updates of said records. If you’re not doing anything stupid and are not a minority of any sort, it’s unlikely that the government is interested in you in the slightest, except for taxes. However, if you’re worried about the Feds, you can encrypt everything going to and from your computer after doing a clean wipe and reinstall of everything you have, with programs that you trust absolutely, and nothign from Microsoft. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2002, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-odds-that-the-government-is-monitoring-my-online-activities/130043/3 "2002-09-29T00:59:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by insider \* > What are the odds that the Federal government is monitoring the activity on my computer and/or at this website? Is it possible to monitor all email and filter it to determine antigovernment activities? As far as I know, the UK and US governments can monitor almost all e-mail traffic, but they rely on computer software spotting key words to know which ones to read. It’s bedtime for moi, but I remember the UK lot asked for all service providers to supply all keys necessary to read coded material (or something like that). (Finally I was going to make a joke using a terrorist-related word, but then I’d be monitored…) ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2002, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-odds-that-the-government-is-monitoring-my-online-activities/130043/4 "2002-09-29T01:02:23Z")
It’s possible, but with the sheer volume of e-mail, and the decentralized nature of the web, it’s extremely unlikely. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2002, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-odds-that-the-government-is-monitoring-my-online-activities/130043/5 "2002-09-29T02:27:41Z")
I changed the title of this thread from **What are the odds?** to **What are the odds that the government is monitoring my online activities?** In the future please try to choose more descriptive thread titles. bibliophage moderator GQ ---
**Author:** ![Alereon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alereon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alereon)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2002, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-odds-that-the-government-is-monitoring-my-online-activities/130043/6 "2002-09-29T02:50:53Z")
The internet is a big place, the government can’t possibly be monitoring all of it. Things that will get you busted in very short order are child pornography, malicious cracking of something important, creating and releasing a destructive virus, and participating in a high profile warez (pirated software) group. It is quite possible that your E-mails may be ending up in an FBI carnivore database as a result of a wiretap on someone else. The carnivore system captures all e-mail passing across a network point and stores it in a database for later review. In theory the FBI is supposed to discard all e-mails unrelated to the investigation, but who knows how rigidly that is enforced? The bottom line is that if you have any information or send any e-mails that you don’t want to be read, either because they contain personal information or sensitive correspondence, then keep them protected with high strength encryption. ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2002, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-odds-that-the-government-is-monitoring-my-online-activities/130043/7 "2002-09-29T03:00:44Z")
Some info.: > **[Home - Privacy.net](https://privacy.net/)** > > Privacy.net exists to help guard your privacy and security online. We highlight some of the violations of privacy by governments, corporations and hackers that most of the general public either ignore or simply are not aware of. The upper left area of that site shows your IP address and computer host name. See also > **[THE WEEK](https://www.theweek.in/home.html?albumOid=251268&BV_ID=@@@)** > > Latest news from India, World, Entertainment, Science, Health and Technology ---
**Author:** ![happyheathen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5e925/32.png) [@happyheathen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happyheathen)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2002, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-odds-that-the-government-is-monitoring-my-online-activities/130043/8 "2002-09-29T03:21:28Z")
The NSA says “hi”. ---
**Author:** ![Alereon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alereon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alereon)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2002, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-odds-that-the-government-is-monitoring-my-online-activities/130043/9 "2002-09-29T03:55:51Z")
[Jam Echelon Day](http://www.jamechelon.org/) is coming up on October 21st. Echelon is the system that monitors internet (and possibly phone) traffic for western governments. Jam Echelon Day is the day where everyone e-mails and chats to eachother things such as “bomb asassinate president anonymous industrial sabotage.” Fun for the whole family! Here is some [more information about Echelon](http://www.aclu.org/echelonwatch/echfaq3.htm). YMMV regarding the accuracy of the information, as the page seems to lean somewhat towards the tinfoil hat brigade. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2002, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-odds-that-the-government-is-monitoring-my-online-activities/130043/10 "2002-09-29T04:15:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bibliophage \* > \*\*I changed the title of this thread from **What are the odds?** to **What are the odds that the government is monitoring my online activities?** \*\* He only did that to make it easier for the government to read, BTW. The answer to the OP, though is "exactly as likely as anyone else is to read a SDMB thread – that is to say, extremely unlikely as the board is more likely than not to be down. The gummit has to deal with the same hamsters as the rest of us. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![cainxinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@cainxinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cainxinth)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2002, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-odds-that-the-government-is-monitoring-my-online-activities/130043/11 "2002-09-29T08:00:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FDISK \* > **Things that will get you busted in very short order are child pornography, malicious cracking of something important, creating and releasing a destructive virus, and participating in a high profile warez (pirated software) group.** What about large consumers of warez and mp3’s that aren’t members of a group that distributes them? Is Ashcroft gunning for them as well? ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2002, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-odds-that-the-government-is-monitoring-my-online-activities/130043/12 "2002-09-29T15:03:37Z")
I’ve noticed that sometimes when I’m just sitting here reading a page the lights on my modem (DSL) blink for a second or two. They shouldn’t, because I’ve not initiated any activity. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Dreaming\_of\_Maria\_Callas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@Dreaming\_of\_Maria\_Callas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dreaming_of_Maria_Callas)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2002, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-odds-that-the-government-is-monitoring-my-online-activities/130043/13 "2002-09-29T15:52:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mangeorge \* > \*\*I’ve noticed that sometimes when I’m just sitting here reading a page the lights on my modem (DSL) blink for a second or two. They shouldn’t, because I’ve not initiated any activity. > Peace, > mangeorge \*\* You can use a network monitor to see what the activity is. I run Linux and use Ethereal, I have no idea what one would use on Windows or Mac. Anyway, you’ll see that there is always activity when you think you aren’t doing anything. Most of that activity is continue packets, the server/DSL modem is saying “Are you still there or should I drop the connection and give the IP addr to someone else” and you computer is responding “Yes I’m still there.” UnuMondo ---
**Author:** ![Dreaming\_of\_Maria\_Callas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@Dreaming\_of\_Maria\_Callas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dreaming_of_Maria_Callas)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2002, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-odds-that-the-government-is-monitoring-my-online-activities/130043/14 "2002-09-29T16:01:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mangeorge \* > \*\*I’ve noticed that sometimes when I’m just sitting here reading a page the lights on my modem (DSL) blink for a second or two. They shouldn’t, because I’ve not initiated any activity. > Peace, > mangeorge \*\* You can use a network monitor to see what the activity is. I run Linux and use Ethereal, I have no idea what one would use on Windows or Mac. Anyway, you’ll see that there is always activity when you think you aren’t doing anything. Most of that activity is continue packets, the server/DSL modem is saying “Are you still there or should I drop the connection and give the IP addr to someone else” and you computer is responding “Yes I’m still there.” UnuMondo ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2002, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-odds-that-the-government-is-monitoring-my-online-activities/130043/15 "2002-09-29T16:54:53Z")
Thanks, **UnuMondo**. Thanks, **UnuMondo**. 😉 Now that I think about it, it does seem to be periodic. ---
**Author:** ![cainxinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@cainxinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cainxinth)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2002, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-odds-that-the-government-is-monitoring-my-online-activities/130043/16 "2002-10-01T17:38:58Z")
Rather than start a new thread, I thought it would be easier on the sever to bump my question. The answer will probally determine whether or not I dl from warez sites anymore. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by cainxinth \* > \*\*What about large consumers of warez and mp3’s that aren’t members of a group that distributes them? Is Ashcroft gunning for them as well? \*\*