Most people that make it through a secondary education have heard about 1984 by George Orwell. The book dives into the lives of farm animals and the realization that they are being watched and controlled by the farm; in a not so subtle reference to government as a whole. One might start with actions by the US government and its associated counterparts around the world. These governments are checking up on peoples associations and activities through the analysis of e-mails and other electronic taps.

It's about control

Just by asserting that the government is looking at and printing your e-mails, you have fallen under their control. Your computer is definitely not a safe place to keep any delicate information, nor is the phone list you keep on your cell. Computer, printer and all other electronics you use are suspect and the lever that is used to keep you under control.

Keyword searching

In a general sense, it is the success of keyword searching that has allowed big brother to keep an eye on us. Your average computer user takes a keyword and inputs it into Googles system to find a piece of information. Big Brother uses the same technology to see what you're looking at. Even if you think you've erased the web page it is still there for big brother to see. If a keyword search ends up lost, it can be looked for in the printer and its memory. For this reason, many people keep a laptop and printer that are not even remotely connected to the internet so they can be totally secure. Past this option, just watching what you search for on the computer is the best way to stay anonymous.

Unknown warrants

Perhaps one of the scariest ways that Big Brother keeps an eye on its ?people of interest? is secret warrants. Agencies issue warrants to all people they wish to question about you and make those people swear to not make mention that they have been asked to answer questions about you. These agencies will even issue a warrant to you and make you swear not to mention that you talked to them about you.

Only paranoid until you catch them

Many might say that this line of thinking is paranoid. Unfortunately it is not. In the US, these tactics have been admitted to where international communications were made. To trust those, that admit to carrying out these searches, to be limiting themselves to international communications is very generous to be sure. But since these government agencies of interest have admitted to the practice we, as citizens, can watch right back using our computers and printers. If you see somebody watching your computer's activities just watch back and start writing letters.