Am I being surveillanced?

First I want to apologize in advance if I am posting this in the wrong forum. I had trouble figuring out where else to post this. If I've made a mistake, my bad and I'm really sorry. Anyway...

I am deeply concerned about my own privacy as of late. I'll start with the catalyst and then provide some additional context.

I live in a college town and although I graduated from the university here a couple years ago now, I still maintain and continue to build relationships with many students here. We get a lot of international students here, primarily from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, India, and many other countries in the broader middle east/south asia region. A few weeks ago a friend of mine from Bangladesh who has studied here for the last six years moved to New York City to continue his studies and live with his brother. He is an electrical engineer, a brilliant guy and a genuinely good, kind person. Through many in depth and deep conversations, I feel I know this friend quite well and I certainly trust him. Two days after he arrived in New York City, and about a week before Pope Francis arrived for his American tour on the east coast, my friend was visited by the FBI. They arrived at his door and wanted to question him. He was questioned for quite some time, seeking to determine whether or not he was a terrorist (Seriously, my friend is absolutely NOT a terrorist, so I ask that any responders to this thread respect my judgement here and role with my assertion of his complete innocence). After the FBI left, my friend made a post on Facebook in which he explained briefly that this happened to him. He was clearly upset by it and I don't blame him. My girlfriend who is also friends with him commented on his post and essentially said, "I'm really sorry this happened to you." Within an hour or so his post was removed from Facebook. I do not know if he removed the post, but I don't know why he would willingly delete it. Please note that my friend did not fly to NYC, he drove. He had only been there for two days when the FBI came to his door. The fact that he drove and the fact that they came to his door so soon after he arrived makes me think he was likely being surveillenced long before he ever left.

Now for the broader context. I am a photographer. I have traveled extensively and continue to travel, capturing and producing primarily fine art photography and photojournalism wherever I go. I've now been to nearly 40 countries and my portfolio includes Egypt, Turkey, India and Nepal along with many other places. More recently I have focused in capturing scenes of intense poverty around the world. I want to show those in the "First World" the stark and disturbing realities that exist in so many other places in an effort to grow awareness. The things I have seen sometimes creep into my nightmares. Some of the things I have witnessed I know will forever haunt me. Throughout my travels I have made many friends from around the world. One of my closest friends I met while traveling lives in Pakistan. We chat periodically and I fully intend to visit his home in Pakistan in the next couple years.

I am also a dual citizen of both the USA and England. I have family living internationally and am often in communication internationally.

Based off of the revelations from Edward Snowden that have exposed the sweeping nature of American surveillance, the recent events of my friend's encounter with the FBI, as well as my background and global connections in places like Pakistan, India, Saudi Arabia, etc, I am deeply concerned that I am being surveillanced. I would really like some feedback on my concerns from the ATS community. Thanks for listening.

a reply to: Squidleepie

Surveillance is a job. Don't be concerned about being one of many who fill in the blank periods for the watchers. It's just job creation and justifying the budget.

My own method is to use the surveillance in reverse as a freely provided broadcast arrangement taking my messages to people who may need the information to increase the accuracy of their own world view. They're a captive audience. You have a message. Use their energy. Take advantage of their technology.

They want to watch? Give them something worth watching that will open their eyes and ears to new truths.

Good luck.

a reply to: Squidleepie

Short answer......yes.


What can u do about it?

Nothing. This is the world we live in and it makes me sick.

What options have u regarding telling people?

Don't bother because either ur friends and family will think ur losing it or they will just not care.

Stay safe and try to focus on whatever good their is in the world

Interesting answer. I like this idea very much. Here's a link to my blog in case you're interested in seeing my work. Perhaps some of my photography and writing on there has positively influenced anyone that may have ever been watching me. Feedback on my work is always welcome. Thanks for the response.

Blog link

We are all watched even if you arent doing anything, there is a mass data collection on every single person in the USA.

a reply to: Squidleepie

Had a quick scan and your work is stunning. Also I like your Web page. To be able to travel like u have for your job would be amazing. You more than most will be able to truly see and understand what is happening to the world....the good and the bad.

I will have a better look later as I'm making the children breakfast

a reply to: FormOfTheLord

.. in the whole world!

I realize that, but I assume some of us are being watched more than others. I'm just additionally concerned because of the facts surrounding my specific background/circumstances. a reply to: FormOfTheLord

originally posted by: ManFromEurope
a reply to: FormOfTheLord

.. in the whole world!

If you use things like cell phones, internet, credit cards, and watch tv then yes you are being tracked. It doesnt matter which country your in.

a reply to: Squidleepie

Extensive travel in Third World countries and associating with foreign nationals from Muslim countries might put you on a list. I imagine there's also a good chance that you've been assessed on some level. You sound like you could be viewed as, potentially, politically sympathetic with people from these countries. That might be another factor to be considered and there's also the stark possibility that you're within a social circle of person/s who have been investigated. You could have been checked out by chance of association.

So yeah, it's easy to see why there's a possibility of you being looked at.

None of this would necessarily lead to physical surveillance by people on the street, but maybe there's a degree of monitoring your communications. Ultimately we are all constantly having all of our communications recorded, the differences would amount to what level of interest and risk we are rated at.

Thanks very much for that. I've been extremely busy and haven't had a chance to post my new photography yet but will soon. Finally got my first crack at photographing the northern lights, so the best of that photo shoot will be up in the coming weeks. Next year you'll likely see work captured in SE Asia and then eventually Pakistan, but for now I'm focusing on US based work. Again, really appreciate the positive feedback. a reply to: liteonit6969

I was under surveillance big time a few months ago, by who knows who (probably just local LE). After getting into some hot water over something that wouldn't have even been an issue in Colorado.

It can be overwhelming, since your not exactly sure whats going on... But its probably best to just take it with a grain of salt. Let them know your not stupid and know your being watched every chance you get... Why not just have a little fun with it?

At the end of the day, just be honored that someone mistook you for someone who's important enough to be under surveillance, lol.

a reply to: FormOfTheLord

I just turned on your webcam.. Stop it, pervert.

originally posted by: Kester
a reply to: Squidleepie

Surveillance is a job. Don't be concerned about being one of many who fill in the blank periods for the watchers. It's just job creation and justifying the budget.

My own method is to use the surveillance in reverse as a freely provided broadcast arrangement taking my messages to people who may need the information to increase the accuracy of their own world view. They're a captive audience. You have a message. Use their energy. Take advantage of their technology.

They want to watch? Give them something worth watching that will open their eyes and ears to new truths.

Good luck.

Yes, especially about Forest of Dean pigs, lol! They'll be experts if they snoop on you.

As much as possible, everyones movement, communication and banking or on line activity is being stored (along with everyone else's) in huge memory banks the government has built. Big difference between that and being under direct surveillance.

The only people being "tracked" are persons of interest. You're only "interesting" to Homeland Gestapo types if are dong something or in contact with somebody that is also of interest.

Op, you movements around the globe as a photographer are perfect cover from their perspective, because thats precisely what them terrs do, move around internationally and communicate to each other.

You have been everywhere and made lots of friends, right? So theres that.

Although you are concerned about being under scrutiny, you don't describe examples of active surveillance, yet.

What makes you think you are currently under surveillance? I'll await your reply before I add ways to spot or defeat active surveillance.

Everyone is under surveillance - CCTV cameras, automatic keyword scans over internet data traffic. Even when you visit another website, their servers log the IP addresses and pathnames being requested. Your own PC probably has a .thumbnails folder somewhere which keeps track of every image you've looked at.

surveillanced...probably not. Under surveillance? Defiantly. We all are.

Having read your post, you will probably be on someone's radar but if you've nothing to hide don't get hung up about it. There only doing their jobs so let it go.

I was under surveillance once. I found out by scanning the wifi in my area using NetMon which you can download for free. I scanned each channel for a good 15 minutes and correlated the rfid's. I filtered out the obvious home hubs, wireless printers and the like and was left with an alphabetic list of companies that made no sense like Deutsche Aerospace. In a residential area within a few hundred metres? The rfid's all had numbers between 500 and 530. I contacted the police but they never came to investigate. It was pretty scary. I hard wired my PC to my router after that and stopped surfing the web. I've moved since then. I've not run a scan here. I'd rather not know.

There's a VERY important point in your thread...

It's the fear of surveillance you and your friend experienced. Which is very real regardless of any actual monitoring.

Lot's of replies here speak of letting it go and don't worry if you aren't doing anything wrong.

If it was no big deal then the protection from unreasonable searches would not have made it's way into the Constitution.

That fear and experience of being visited by the FBI IS a big deal.

It's a creepy dehumanizing experiences that deeply changes people.

(As a side note, if I wasn't so old I would get a Phd and study the psychological effect of surveillance)

The FBI is advanced enough that they could track someone without letting them know but for some reason they WANTED your friend to know.

This is not done for information purposes, it's done for intimidation purposes. Maybe you will stand by your friend but done't you think other friends, employers, landlords ect may not? So think about that one.