"Current Event The government monitors the citizens of the United States in order to collect data, and protect the nation. The duties of the US government, national, state and local, are to secure the citizens it represents and to aide commerce. The internet, an open, global network, has become an integral part of the US commerce, the media, and the local, state and national security. Although it may seem that U.S. Federal Government, should not have rights or duties to monitor a computer network that spans the globe, without this monitoring, improper commerce, chaos caused by communication over the internet, and even terrorism may become rampant. There are many differing points of view with regards to how companies and individuals should …show more content…
Protection requires constant vigilance and monitoring of communications. There are debates about the extent of government monitoring of the internet. Many people see the government_Ñés monitoring of its citizens_Ñé internet content as a violation of the first, third, fourth, and ninth amendment and the right to privacy given to American Citizens in Griswold vs. Connecticut (Griswold v. Connecticut). The Patriot Act superseded these ideas and gives the government rights to invade this privacy in order to maintain a stable and secure nation. (Pilcher). Censorship from the government invades that privacy as well as the citizens_Ñé freedom of speech (U.S. Const.). Although the government cannot fully forbid people from posting and viewing certain material, they can set restrictions upon it. The national government helps to stop Terrorists, human traffickers, cartels and child abusers who use the internet to communicate, exploit and engage in commerce. State and local government also provide officers in order to keep peace amongst the nation. Although they may not be fighting terrorists, such duties still use technology to secure America. The national government monitors the internet in the name of protecting its