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Default Jun 02, 2021 at 03:03 PM
  #1
My therapist says I’m being paranoid and my fear is irrational. But does anyone else worry about the government coming after them even though they aren’t doing anything wrong?

I’ve had this fear since like 2012 and I’ve been told by a couple people that I’m just being paranoid.

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Default Jun 02, 2021 at 04:37 PM
  #2
No, I don't worry about the government coming after me. Actually, I used a bit to when I was younger.

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Default Jun 02, 2021 at 05:11 PM
  #3
They come after some people I guess. But I doubt they’d come after me as I am not important.

I do understand your fear though. I periodically have some weird fears of being sued over something or doing something wrong unknowingly and then being arrested. I am not preoccupied with these fears but they sometimes resurface. I grew up in a regime where no one can trust anyone so I think it stems from there.

My dad is convinced government listens to people’s phone conversations. I always thought he is just paranoid but then if you watch House of Cards government listens to random peoples conversations and that fact is supposedly based on reality, so go figure

I am sure they have no reason to come after you
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Default Jun 02, 2021 at 06:05 PM
  #4
I think if you are involved in certain groups that will send a red flag to the government & they might observe them. Seriously most people aren't involved in anything the govt cares about. Most people fly below the radar so I would never worry

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Default Jun 02, 2021 at 06:05 PM
  #5
I do know some fear the government is spying on them.

However, I think of it this way. The government does not have unlimited funds to spend. Can you imagine how much it would cost to have FBI agents tracking every person in the US? It's just not feasible.

So you could say they are only tracking a few. Well honestly, I don't think I'm special enough to interest the government. I can't see anything about my life that would raise an eyebrow. So I don't worry about it myself.
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Default Jun 02, 2021 at 06:09 PM
  #6
I know the FBI keeps files on people. A friend of mine had an FBI file when he was all of 12 years old. He was interested in Russia and wrote the embassy for information. FBI started a file on him. This was back the Cold War days when the USSR was our arch enemy. Gawd forbid some middle school kid be interested in them!

I'll admit there are times when I start a political rant on the phone I remind myself that cell phones are just very sophisticated radios. It's easy to listen in on them. Granted anyone listening to my phone conversations is likely to die of boredom.

I grew up in the 60s and 70s when a bit of paranoia was a good thing.

MD, what makes you think the FBI might come for you? How does the fear impact your life?

My perspective is that I have no control over whether I'm on some watch list. If I can't control it there's no point in worrying because there's nothing I can do about it.
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Default Jun 03, 2021 at 12:51 AM
  #7
Regarding whoever said during the Cold War someone was spied on: during the cold war following the great red scare I think the government was more paranoid than people were. But they were constitutional amendments or laws that were passed to prevent that kind of monitoring. Then we have 9/11after 9/11 the patriot act allowed the government wide berth to pretty much monitor whoever they wanted to. However at that time it was red flags associated with anything Muslim or anything that flagged their system regarding terrorism or Isis. Following the patriot act and 9/11 there was a period of about 10 years where people were able to prove following 9/11 that just about anyone who did any kind of research work where he was being monitored when it came to anything regarding Islam or Muslims. If I’m not mistaken people have been trying to either repeal it or maybe it has been repealed I’m not sure. I do know that there were more laws put in place to prevent unwarranted search or seizure which does apply when it comes to phone records and conversations. Since that. Has pretty much passed we move onto domestic terrorism. I think monitoring might be ramping up due to the previous administration’s xenophobia obsession with anything that was/is different than the ruling class. I have been writing about and saying all along that the government officials needed to get their act together when it came to monitoring these right wing groups. And of course January 6 came and everybody was scratching their head wondering “what happened? I don’t get it?” To me and most people it was obvious they drop the ball. However when you think about it the new president hadn’t been sworn in yet so we were still operating on previous policies. And considering the right wing crazies supported the person who lost the election I’m sure that administration wasn’t all that interested in monitoring because it was in their best interest to allow that kind of crazy support.

But I agree with whoever said that funding and finance and time is involved when it comes to monitoring the average citizen. There are over 300 million people in America. I don’t know what the percentages of people that are operating as bad actors but I feel like they have their hands full with that to worry so much about us. But I do believe things get flagged on the Internet when they border on possible criminal actions. What I mean is for instance I’ve always been curious how they build bombs from directions on mine. I’m not interested in doing anything of the sort. But I am curious and the hell if I’m gonna search for it because I believe that might end up making me someone with a red flag. I would never look up anything on YouTube regarding anything associated with the Middle East. I would never look on YouTube or any other social media platform for anything associated with the current conspiracy theories. I definitely don’t want that mark on my record assuming there would be one. I think it’s a combination of not being paranoid and also being realistic. I kind of look I had it like I am just not that important. What I have in my mind regarding what I think is important is completely different than what a giant federal government agency would think of me. I feel like I would have to do some thing that will trigger a red flag.

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Default Jun 03, 2021 at 05:06 AM
  #8
@Mountaindewed

You can be sure that in America (and in other powerful nations too), your national security state is keeping an eye on and monitoring a lot of areas of life, internally and externally. You see, in order to stay ahead of one's foes and potential foes, threats, enemies!, they need to watch and monitor. But are you doing anything to draw their attention? Spying? Passing on information to adversaries? Leaking documents etc? Plotting to undermine the power structure? Of course not! So no need to worry. 🙂👍

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Default Jun 03, 2021 at 05:58 AM
  #9
I get flagged for a special search every time I come into the US from another country. I am sure I am on some kind of list/have a flag next to my name, maybe as a possible cheese smuggler.


I like to read conspiracy theory websites even though I don't believe in the theories and sometimes worry that my browsing history will add me to some kind of watchlist. I also think my phone is listening to my conversations sometimes - it is just too weird how you can talk to someone about something random and all of a sudden see an ad for it??


I don't have the FB app installed on my phone. The other day I saw someone I haven't seen in six months. Now they are appearing in my FB feed when they normally don't. What is with that? We had no electronic communication, no text, no email, no FB messages.
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Default Jun 03, 2021 at 07:25 AM
  #10
I sometimes look at weird Reddit subs that aren’t always appropriate. But my therapist says if it’s on Reddit it’s safe and I’m just paranoid. I told my Pdoc back in 2012 and he laughed and said “everyone looks at that stuff” But that’s the only thing I do. Most of what’s in my Google search history is SpongeBob memes and gifs.

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Default Jun 03, 2021 at 01:00 PM
  #11
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Originally Posted by hvert View Post
I get flagged for a special search every time I come into the US from another country. I am sure I am on some kind of list/have a flag next to my name, maybe as a possible cheese smuggler.
Mmm, cheese...
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Default Jun 03, 2021 at 04:04 PM
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Mmm, cheese...
Lol....isn't that what we say when we are smiling at their hidden camera

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Default Jun 04, 2021 at 01:02 AM
  #13
[COLOR="Indigo"]
Quote:
Originally Posted by hvert View Post
I get flagged for a special search every time I come into the US from another country. I am sure I am on some kind of list/have a flag next to my name, maybe as a possible cheese smuggler.


I like to read conspiracy theory websites even though I don't believe in the theories and sometimes worry that my browsing history will add me to some kind of watchlist. I also think my phone is listening to my conversations sometimes - it is just too weird how you can talk to someone about something random and all of a sudden see an ad for it??


I don't have the FB app installed on my phone. The other day I saw someone I haven't seen in six months. Now they are appearing in my FB feed when they normally don't. What is with that? We had no electronic communication, no text, no email, no FB messages.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk[/COLOR
You are not crazy. Your phone is listening. A lot of times you have enabled the microphone but many times there’s not much you can do. The ads are targeted. Next time you’re on Instagram start talking about Pepsi or Doritos and see what happens he won’t believe it. I also like to re-conspiracy theory websites especially with what we have going on from January 6.

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Default Jun 04, 2021 at 09:59 PM
  #14
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mountaindewed View Post
My therapist says I’m being paranoid and my fear is irrational. But does anyone else worry about the government coming after them even though they aren’t doing anything wrong?

I’ve had this fear since like 2012 and I’ve been told by a couple people that I’m just being paranoid.
Yes all the time. I have people who has slander my reputation.
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Default Jun 05, 2021 at 07:18 AM
  #15
@unaluna I'm not even kidding! I get stopped and asked about food specifically.

@sarahsweets I really do think malware on the phone listens and that the el cheapo phone plan I have is selling my location data.

Has anyone seen the recent news about USA Today being subpoenaed for info about who read a particular story?
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Default Jun 05, 2021 at 07:31 AM
  #16
Not FBI but my phone.....so if phones can do this I am sure FBI/govt agencies have more powerful tools......

I was in a hurry one morning to make the hour drive to where I was volunteering. I threw a breakfast bar down on the truck seat next to me & tossed my phone next to that. Not a word spoken about it cause I was driving totally alone. Later that day I was getting adds for that EXACT kind of breakfast bar. Coincidence?.....I don't believe in coincidences

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Default Jun 10, 2021 at 04:38 PM
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Later that day I was getting adds for that EXACT kind of breakfast bar. Coincidence?.....I don't believe in coincidences

That is extremely creepy! I am glad iOS added a feature that lets you know when the phone is recording.

I just had it happen again today. This morning I was texting a friend (with basic text messaging, no app, no iMessage) about getting together. He suggested a specific restaurant I would not go to in 100 years.

Guess what I saw an ad for today?
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Default Jun 10, 2021 at 08:31 PM
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That is extremely creepy! I am glad iOS added a feature that lets you know when the phone is recording.

I just had it happen again today. This morning I was texting a friend (with basic text messaging, no app, no iMessage) about getting together. He suggested a specific restaurant I would not go to in 100 years.

Guess what I saw an ad for today?
Wow, that is scary that the technology is there to do this. Harmless as adds but if they can do it with adds, it can be used for more EVIL goals against people

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