Use privacy services? The NSA is probably tracking you (2024)

FAQs

Is the NSA watching me through my camera? ›

It's technically possible under certain circ*mstances, but it's not common. Accessing your device generally requires a warrant issued by a judge, so the chances are that if you aren't the subject of an investigation, the government isn't seeing your camera.

NSA collects SIGINT from various sources, including foreign communications, radar and other electronic systems. This information is frequently in foreign languages and dialects, is protected by codes and other security measures, and involves complex technical characteristics.

He added that the NSA's database of collected communications allows its analysts to listen "to the calls or read the emails of everything that the NSA has stored, or look at the browsing histories or Google search terms that you've entered, and it also alerts them to any further activity that people connected to that ...

The FISA Amendments Act of 2008 (FAA) gives the NSA almost unchecked power to monitor Americans' international phone calls, text messages, and emails — under the guise of targeting foreigners abroad.

"This isn't true -- at least, it's not what you think," said Robert David Graham, CEO of Errata Security, in a blog post. "If you turn your iPhone/Android off, the NSA cannot track you by your phone number" or any other identifying information broadcast by the phone, he said.

BUT — individual NSA analysts can wiretap anyone they want if the data they're accessing in real-time includes the content of everyone's phone calls or emails.

The government can track you everywhere

For example, the PRISM program reportedly allows the NSA to directly access data from major tech companies, including emails, videos, photos, and documents.

The NSA began collecting its own data on Americans' phone calls within months of Sept. 11, 2001, as a way to identify potential terrorists within the USA. At first, it did so without court approval. In 2006, after The New York Times and USA TODAY began reporting on the surveillance program, President George W.

If you are already charged with a crime, your browser data (including your search history) can be subpoenaed by the prosecution. For instance, your internet history can be used against you to establish a motive for a crime or that you had the knowledge to commit a crime – even if you were browsing in “private” mode.

Can googling something put you on a watch list? ›

The FBI and other law enforcement organizations usually have no interest in what you might be looking up online. But if you are consistently looking up words, instructional materials, or other suspicious search terms that may indicate interest in criminal behavior, you may end up on a government watchlist.

Google can access your search history, especially if you're signed in to your Google account. Internet service providers can see the domain names of the websites you visit. Some apps on your phone might ask permission to access your internet browsing history. If you grant it, they'll be able to view it.

Check for a blinking or solid light on the camera itself. A red or green light may indicate whether it's actively recording. Recording Icons or Text: Some cameras display a recording icon or text on the video feed when they are actively recording. Look for any on-screen indicators within the camera's live view.

If your phone has an infrared light camera you can use it to find hidden cameras. Open the camera and scan the room looking for small bursts of steady or flashing light—these may be hidden cameras. You can also use smartphone apps that combine several technologies, such as Bluetooth scanning and infrared detection.

There are several warning signs regarding the potential government surveillance: Specific echoes or noises during phone calls could mean that somebody else is listening to your conversations. Strange technical problems and unusual behavior of your apps might be a sign of spyware introduced to your device.