Our privacy and safety are at risk when new technologies ease the flow of information. National Security Inexpensive and powerfully destructive weapons are available to more potential enemies than ever before. The unremitting growth of the Internet challenges governments' traditional means of monitoring citizens. Governments have legitimate reasons for monitoring electronic transmissions, such as criminal investigations and national security .
Some governments also watch the Web for political reasons - like hoping to censor dissidents.
Many people fear their privacy is endangered. Governments usually do not do much to allay those fears since, for reasons of secrecy, Web-watching systems are rarely described in public. Keep in mind, this list only includes government efforts to watch the Web. There are others who may be tracking your Web activities, including businesses, advertisers and cybercriminals.