As the world has become more connected, governments began to use government internet surveillance programs to achieve their national security goals. Through the use of high-tech software and programs, government authorities have successfully sought justice and improved national security. The use of government internet surveillance is a vital first step in protecting our nation and is a vital tool to help collect evidence, infiltrate terrorist cells, and win the ‘War on Drugs.’ This technology also offers powerful protection from external threats.
Carnivore, Magic Lantern and CIPAV are examples of government internet surveillance
The FBI and other government agencies have used computer programs to spy on their target computers inside their homes. They can track emails sent and received, web browsing histories, software applications installed, and location. But the public has been less than impressed by these programs, which can gather vast amounts of personal information about you. While the FBI claims that these programs are used to protect the country from crime, many are suspicious about how they operate and how they can be stopped.
Fourteen Eyes is a government internet surveillance program
There are many concerns about the surveillance of citizens on the internet, and this program is just the latest example. The alliance is made up of countries, including the US, the UK, Canada, and Australia, which spy on other countries via their internet infrastructure. The program is also known as Fourteen Eyes and was first set up to collect information about the former Soviet Union. But now, a group of countries known as the Fourteen Eyes has partnered with the US to spy on its citizens.
ECHELON is a government internet surveillance program
If you’re not familiar with ECHELON, it is a government internet surveillance program that was developed in the 1990s. Developed by Raytheon, it was contracted by the Brazilian government after a whistleblower revealed CIA espionage efforts against Japanese bureaucrats and executives of Nissan and Toyota. Its development has been fraught with controversy as some believe the technology could be used on American soil.
NSA surveillance program PRISM
One of the most famous examples of government spying is the NSA surveillance program PRISM, which began in 2007 following President Bush’s Protect America Act. Under the program, the NSA collects data from internet communications by at least nine large internet companies in the United States, including Google, Apple, Microsoft, Yahoo!, Skype, Paltalk, AOL, and others. This program also involves government surveillance of internet users’ personal data, including email, chat history, and websites visited.
China’s “Police Cloud” system
The PRC government has been working to implement an increasingly sophisticated cloud surveillance system, including facial recognition software, in order to monitor Internet traffic. One company that operates in the surveillance technology sector of the PRC’s economy, called SenseNets Technology Ltd., has recently developed facial recognition software and a GPS tracking system for use in China’s Xinjiang region. In July 2020, the PRC government declared the firm a foreign person, and ordered residents of Xinjiang to download a desktop version of their surveillance software.
India’s “Police Cloud” system
The Indian government has begun building a nationwide surveillance network with biometrics and wide-spread use of public communications networks. The “Sharp Eyes” project involves the integration of vast surveillance camera networks into the national surveillance network. This system will allow police to keep tabs on individuals’ personal information and traffic data, and will act as a “live national intelligence network.”
Canada’s “Police Cloud” system
A Canadian police cloud system for government internet surveillance was recently exposed as violating the privacy of its own citizens. The police use of Clearview AI, which matches uploaded photos with billions of other pictures on Amazon servers, violates Canadian privacy laws by harvesting biometric data without consent. The technology was developed in the United States, and police in Canada have not been particularly forthcoming about its use. However, the issue should not lead to a knee-jerk reaction. Rather, we should be skeptical about this surveillance technology and its use in Canada.
