The Fourth Amedment

"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

A very important amendment usually referenced when discussing privacy. While the government may collect information about the citizens which is necessary for it to function and protect the union, it may not obtain any of it via illegal methods. In order to gather additional information and evidence, they must have a reason and obtain a warrant.

Quite recently, there was a big hubbub concerning "wire tapping" procedures used for counter-terrorism. The government was simply data mining. They used the phone records of suspects already being investigated to find commonalities. Once that was determined, a warrant was obtained to perform the actual wire tapping for further investigation.

As long as we citizens do not turn over too much power to our government, this will not be much of a concern of mine. The increase in social programs (i.e. health care, corporate bailouts, public schools, etc.) is how we are losing our power as citizens. Too many citizens vote without knowledge and do not use their voice to keep government in check. Protect your privacy: become an informed and active participant in your government.