Originally Posted by BestXXXPorn

First, I respect your points of view... just like to preface by saying :P

I hate this argument it's completely bullshit... this assumes that there is no threat to privacy unless the government uncovers unlawful activity... in which case a person has no legitimate justification to claim that it remains private. You are effectively denouncing privacy laws...

It's a complete disregard and encroachment on civil liberties for a superficial sense of security... This is an undemocratic tendency that's anathema to the Founders' vision.

Moreover you're assuming that privacy is about hiding bad things and overlooking the problems associated with lack of oversight, accountability on secondary, even tertiary use of the captured data, and aggregation of that data to compile more sensitive information...

Let's also take into account that surveillance and monitoring of data, even massive amounts such as the carnivore project, also causes people NOT to talk about points which may raise red flags... It effectually stamps on free speech without having to pass any laws against free speech it's a byproduct...