Future Tense

Here’s the Worst-Case Scenario if the Government Has Access to Your Personal Data

You probably don’t want the government, or anyone, knowing about your affair.

Photo from Meet Jack/ACLU.

If the constant barrage of government surveillance news has given you privacy fatigue, here’s something to jump-start your outrage. The ACLU has made a video that shows just how much information law enforcement officials could theoretically access if they wanted to look into you.

The video is part of a campaign to support the GPS ACT, which aims to limit government access to location data from cellphone companies. The act would require officials to obtain a warrant and show probable cause before pulling the records. Whether you want your representatives to support the act or not, the video is a good thought experiment. A police officer might be watching you for a DUI before you even get behind the wheel!