The FBI's Spyware: Is it Watching You?

So it's ok with some of you that if you call or email a lover or spouse and have a very personal conversation it's ok for the government to listen in. If so you not only have lost your sanity,you have also lost your freedom!

Reference my comments last July about the Prattville, AL PD. I doubt if the Sgt. in charge there had anything to do with the hacking at my residence. I apologize to him.
I received over a span of time, many IMs with meaningless addresses. In flustration, I replied to two, only to be invited to "meet a girl" at a motel. When I asked the senders badge number, they disconnected. Who was it? I have no idea. I Googled the name at that time and no response was found. An imposter? Someone playing games? We can only guess BUT the fact remains, someone had targeted me for some unknown reason. It is time for Congress to put some guts in getting rid of spam and unsolicited perverted Internet individuals and companies.

Test

I say go for it.

This doesn't bother me at all, in fact it's about time this info got out. To many times I'm apalled at what is sent over AOL's "post your thoughts". These sick people out there need to know that they aren't really hiding behind their fake identities. that sooner or later someone will come knocking at their door! But to all those who fear "Big Brother" is watching....if you've done nothing wrong then you have no fear!

Let me see if I have this right: one sends comments,etc. on the internet for the whole universe to see,and now they're complaining about 'privacy?? Duh,duh. Plese,give me a break. No wonder those padded cells are empty-they're all on the internet.

I agree..I think if it's a way to stop people from terrorizing, abusing or doing any kind of crime, I believe our Federal Goverment should have access to any information to proceed to stop the person/persons..However, I don't feel as if this should be done at State level and our local police dept. is given access to one's privacy..

GREAT!!!

DANIEL MAWN - I totally agree...couldn't have said it better myself!
To all those who claim that big brother thrives on public fear: Not all of us shutter at the thought of someone checking what they're doing. What marginal behavior of yours are you afraid they'll detect?

Yeah...say hello to Big Brother.

You people and your willingness to surrender your freedoms is disgusting.

Yes THIS KID needed to be caught.

But what about some time in the not so distant future you're talking to someone about the time you tried pot in college but didn't like it. Guess what? It's an admission to a crime that law enforcement has access to and now you can go to jail because you willingly applauded letting go of your freedoms.

I see nothing wrong with doing what the FBI did. They did NOT target some innocent person randomly, they targeted someone who threatened to bomb a school. In my opinion, the kid who made the threat was a complete idiot.

Absolutely I agree that people should be held accountable for their actions both on- and offline. However there should be a system of checks and balances such as exist everywhere else (i.e. search and seizure warrants). As near as I can tell from this article there WAS probable cause but no real procedure applied here. As far as Big Brother...he is watching. I've nothing to hide, however I like my privacy very much. I refuse to bow to the moral or any other majority as far as my privacy is concerned and having something to hide or not is irrelevant. So no I won't be polishing my jack boots and marching down the street yelling "For the greater good" and "Resistance is futile" at the top of my poor ignorant lungs. Wait this just in....Patriot act: 1 Constituion: 0. I suppose there is no privacy anymore. Look it up. I'll be waiting for the men in the black ops gear to bust in to arrest me and my family for exersizing my rights that used to exist. RIP

Does this mean that hacking is now legal?

to all you minions who are ready to give up all your privacy to our govt.
I'm sick of the old saying" if you aren't doing anything wrong, there's nothing to worry about"
That's BS. What you are doing you may think it's not wrong, but others have different ideas about it. One of these days, they'll show up at your front door or your job. Then remember, you asked for it. Naive dumb-asses.

yea that means hacking in legal now

Don't be stupid!!
Viruses don't solve a thing!!!

As in 1930s Germany, If you're not Jewish,Gypsy,Gay,Jehovah Witness or any number of different folks then you have nothing to worry about. {Remember the frog in the pan}

If you have nothing to hide there is nothing to worry about.

The FBI was able to install this program without a suspect or wiretap warrant because "under a ruling this month by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ... Internet users have no 'reasonable expectation of privacy' in the data when using the Internet

Thats a scarry ruling if you ask me...Yeah its great they were able to catch this kid...but think about this each and every time you use the internet to pay a bill or search for something. If the government is able to create this type of softeare and tap into your privacy at any time and for any reason it's definately contradicting what the constitution stands for and we are left without any privacy. Warrantless search and seizure is prohibited by the contitution. We the people are provided this in the 4th amendment people. In todays world so much of the internet focuses on strictly telling customers or consumers that the data is exactly that "PRIVATE" What about that? Or the other false advertising that goes on or anything else...

Just to head off the trolls. The FBI got a warrant from a federal judge to use this, just like if they wanted a search warrant.