Our right to "Privacy". Where Is it guaranteed?

I have a question and a thought for you ATS'ers. Where were we ever guaranteed privacy? Sure, the Fourth amendment prohibits unreasonable search and seizure, but id does not say anything about being "spied" on by the government. In a day and age where everybody knows that rule, what you put on the internet is on the internet forever. I mean, I for one could care less what the government/NSA see on my internet activity, I am not doing anything illegal. That being said, there are a lot of truly sick, bad people that DO get caught and arrested for things they do online, and when those people are caught, I sure am glad they were being watched. So, what do you think ATS? Do we really have a right to NOT be watched, either by drones, cameras, or our internet activities? Are you OK with being "watched" online, if it means greater security for our nation/world?

a reply to: thesmokingman

Article 4
Right of search and seizure regulated

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

originally posted by: thesmokingman
I mean, I for one could care less what the government/NSA see on my internet activity, I am not doing anything illegal.

I'm not sure, but I think that quote was right out of Orwell's 1984.

a reply to: thesmokingman

What gives the government any rights above The People? In that article, "privacy" is considered to be inherent in "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures". That's the definition of privacy.

a reply to: thesmokingman

Do you believe in the Constitution?

Do you talk about it on the internet?

If you do, then in the eyes of the government, YOU ARE DOING SOMETHING WRONG!

It's a play on words, and I am shocked that you don't get it!

Think of it this way, the United States of America, has "Constitutional Free" zones!

Ask yourself why?

The United States has "Free Speech" zones!

Ask yourself why?

There was a man long ago named Adolph that killed many people, because of those who thought the way you presented your words in your OP......

History IS repeating itself for those of us who are paying attention.

originally posted by: thesmokingman
I have a question and a thought for you ATS'ers. Where were we ever guaranteed privacy? Sure, the Fourth amendment prohibits unreasonable search and seizure, but id does not say anything about being "spied" on by the government. In a day and age where everybody knows that rule, what you put on the internet is on the internet forever. I mean, I for one could care less what the government/NSA see on my internet activity, I am not doing anything illegal. That being said, there are a lot of truly sick, bad people that DO get caught and arrested for things they do online, and when those people are caught, I sure am glad they were being watched. So, what do you think ATS? Do we really have a right to NOT be watched, either by drones, cameras, or our internet activities? Are you OK with being "watched" online, if it means greater security for our nation/world?

I don't see how we can hope to keep any shred of privacy as we continue on in the 21st century. This is just the BEGINNING of the 21st century, and all these new technologies that interfere with privacy are in their infancy. As things like drones, the internet, smart phones/tvs/electronics, and our government continue to grow, evolve, and expand, there is little hope left for any semblance of privacy.


So no, I do not think we are guaranteed any privacy. I also don't believe there is anyway to preserve our privacy. Even the new smart meters that are being installed on houses now manage to squander away bits and pieces of our privacy.

Honestly, as weird as it seems to us, I believe the future generations will be fine with it, considering they won't have any reference point, or concept of privacy (not in the way we know it).

originally posted by: Bilk22
a reply to: thesmokingman

Article 4
Right of search and seizure regulated

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

I am talking about being watched in public or on the internet.

Maybe the question should be why does the government feel the need to take privacy away everyone?
Just because you aren't hiding something are you OK with people watching every thing you do?
And it is the government for the most part that is watching everyone, not just some cyber stalkers. Most people don't care what others are doing so they don't invade others privacy.

originally posted by: JHumm
Maybe the question should be why does the government feel the need to take privacy away everyone?
Just because you aren't hiding something are you OK with people watching every thing you do?

Well,it could save a lot of lives if they were to say, catch some people planning an attack or something.

originally posted by: JHumm
Maybe the question should be why does the government feel the need to take privacy away everyone?
Just because you aren't hiding something are you OK with people watching every thing you do?

I am not, and I am glad we still DO have that right, sort of. I just want to find out what others think.

Your right to privacy does not include statements made publicly - which internet posts would count as. Now if you keep a journal on your computer or are texting somebody in a private conversation and that gets used against you, without a warrant it would be a violation of the Fourth Amendment.

Which, BTW, the NSA is actively violating every second of every day. But so is Bing, Google, Facebook, AIM, etc.

originally posted by: thesmokingman

originally posted by: JHumm
Maybe the question should be why does the government feel the need to take privacy away everyone?
Just because you aren't hiding something are you OK with people watching every thing you do?

Well,it could save a lot of lives if they were to say, catch some people planning an attack or something.

originally posted by: JHumm

originally posted by: thesmokingman

originally posted by: JHumm
Maybe the question should be why does the government feel the need to take privacy away everyone?
Just because you aren't hiding something are you OK with people watching every thing you do?

Well,it could save a lot of lives if they were to say, catch some people planning an attack or something.

Weren't we warned that the 911 attacks were immanent? What did we do with the information that there were terrorists in the country taking flight lessons?

originally posted by: JHumm

originally posted by: thesmokingman

originally posted by: JHumm
Maybe the question should be why does the government feel the need to take privacy away everyone?
Just because you aren't hiding something are you OK with people watching every thing you do?

Well,it could save a lot of lives if they were to say, catch some people planning an attack or something.

a reply to: thesmokingman

I hate to have this argument again...and again about the "im not doing anything illegal"

It is not just that...its that they collect anything and everything on you to use at a later date if they need be. You support one political party and become very popular when the opposite political party is in power....then bam some off color joke comes out from an email you sent to a buddy 10 yrs ago....or a sentence you stated is taken out of context but they only show that sentence. My point is people have abused this stuff for a long time...and will continue to do so...you dont have to do anything illegal...just be on the wrong side at the wrong time.

and in America...ya 4th amendment and in nature...how about natural law...when you sneak into the lions den to have a look at whats going on the lion eats you...or at least has the right to defend itself with deadly force...in nature...in the open (public) sure there is no privacy.

originally posted by: thesmokingman

originally posted by: Bilk22
a reply to: thesmokingman

Article 4
Right of search and seizure regulated

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

I am talking about being watched in public or on the internet.

I would guess that every time you connect to the internet you're using an ISP of some sort for which you've already agreed to abide by their terms.

Sending data through somebody else's routers and servers is not something where you would have a reasonable expectation of privacy.

originally posted by: thesmokingman

originally posted by: Bilk22
a reply to: thesmokingman

Article 4
Right of search and seizure regulated

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

I am talking about being watched in public or on the internet.

OK, then I concur with you. If you are posting in a public forum then there is no expected privacy from "authority" - authority being the administrators and by extension, The Man However the right to privacy and the issues people have regarding the loss thereof, isn't about posting on the internet. It's about talking on your phone, cell or otherwise, about sending an email and about sitting in your home having a conversation. The privacy concerning those things, has been lost.

originally posted by: rockpaperhammock
a reply to: thesmokingman

I hate to have this argument again...and again about the "im not doing anything illegal"

It is not just that...its that they collect anything and everything on you to use at a later date if they need be. You support one political party and become very popular when the opposite political party is in power....then bam some off color joke comes out from an email you sent to a buddy 10 yrs ago....or a sentence you stated is taken out of context but they only show that sentence. My point is people have abused this stuff for a long time...and will continue to do so...you dont have to do anything illegal...just be on the wrong side at the wrong time.

and in America...ya 4th amendment and in nature...how about natural law...when you sneak into the lions den to have a look at whats going on the lion eats you...or at least has the right to defend itself with deadly force...in nature...in the open (public) sure there is no privacy.

Yep! 7 years they can go back!

Prosecutors investigating U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah asked a three-judge federal appeals panel Monday to give them access to seven years of his private e-mails, a position Fattah's lawyer argued violates the protection the Constitution provides Congress.

Fattah's attorney, Luther E. Weaver III, backed by House general counsel Kerry W. Kircher, argued that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit panel should block Google Inc. from immediately releasing e-mails that prosecutors have subpoenaed.

Feds want seven years' worth of Fattah's private e-mails

Notice though, how this guys attorneys want him to have "protection" because he is/was a member of Congress though?

That's the problem! We don't live in a free country, when lawmakers get special privileges from the law than us commoners have to abide by!

It seems today, that the only time a politician brings up the Constitution is when it benefits them, not the people it was designed to protect from a corrupt government.

Maybe the 5th applies more than the 4th.

a problematic conundrum. freedom or security? why not both? why must one ebb to the gain of the other?

i insist i have the right to privacy. ergo, i must have something to hide.