Can You Keep A Secret

[chrisgel]

Given all the recent reports about America monitoring millions of e-mails, internet activity and phone calls. Plus the fact they are sharing this information with GCHQ. Can we reasonably expect to have any secrets from the state in the future?

Everybody has secrets, some innocent and some not so. Do we want the state to know more about us than our loved ones do?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/8580657/Quarter-of-UK-population-will-be-on-new-police-database.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/9179087/Internet-activity-to-be-monitored-under-new-laws.html

[jim360]

Can I keep a secret? Not telling.

[emmie]

i can keep a secret, however i have found to my cost that some cannot. so don't tell people anything, or much... the state monitors our comings and goings via cctv, and our letters, e mails, calls can be monitored by those who would say it is for national security, i call it big brother..

[factor-fiction]

I reckon they'd need to employ about 2 million people just to read all emails and texts and listen to all phone calls in this country

[chrisgel]

Yes FF but we know that's not what they're doing don't we. They have software programs looking for keywords etc in connection with crime and terrorism etc.
The fact that they don't read every email or listen to every phone call doesn't mean they don't record them. Therefore they will be there for future reference if your name ever pops up in connection with whatever they're investigating at the time.
It would certainly be a handy tool for some future totalitarian government.

[Baldric]

I think we should all start hijack to include key words in our emails etc, just to keep 'em busy

[ichkeria]

The government is not allowed to target your private communications without a warrant.
We are lucky we have these legal enforcements and a government which is largely accountable. We worry so much about this and yet happily divulge out personal info to private companies, Facebook etc

[DaisyNonna]

Should imagine that there are secrets that some people would be happy for the government to know, but not their nearest and dearest.

[Spoonboy]

Can I keep a secret? That would be telling, wouldn't it?!

[heathfield]

In my local pub...

Regular Customer to Gossipy Barman: "Can you keep a secret?"
Gossipy Barman (eagerly): "Yes! Of course!"
Regular Customer: "Good. So can I."