Freedom From The NSA

1. http://tablet.olivesoftware.com/Olive/Tablet/AustinAmericanStatesman/SharedArticle.aspx?href=AAS%2F2013%2F10%2F03&id=Ar00200
2. Category of problem: Privacy
3. Level of problem: National
4. The article concerns: A spy agency, the NSA, being able to track Americans' cellphone locations and what or if they are doing something with the information.
5. Why is this important to families/individuals OR how does it affect individuals/families?
       --Breaching privacy of law abiding American citizens to find information on foreign terror suspect. This affects individuals and their families constitutional right to privacy.
6. What are your views on the issue/policy?
       --Never, while I have been alive or living in this country, have I felt that I was being spied on. Maybe by my parents because that is part of their job description. I have never felt that way towards the American government--until now. According to the article, "12 previously revealed cases of abuse by NSA employees who used the (social) network(s) for unsanctioned missions like spying on a spouse." If it is easy enough for an employee of a spy agency to look into people who are close to them then I cannot help but think that it would be even easier for them to look into complete strangers.

I do understand the NSA's point when they say that if they were to go through peoples social media sites or other commercial databases, it is to hunt for terror suspects. Then again, if the people whose sites they are rummaging through to find information are law abiding citizens then why would they be associated with terror suspects?

The government shutdown has made the problem of finding and the ability to guard threats even harder. The shutdown also leads to Congress not being able to consider changes to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that some, and I now after reading this article, believe allows the NSA too much freedom in gathering U.S. data. Cutting the NSA's freedom, I feel, would put people’s minds a little at ease. To me, America would seem a little less like its "Big Brother" and more like it is trying to actual protect me from terror.