[guygee]

Originally Posted by direwolf-pgh

having configured sniffers & data collectors for businesses...

it would be easier for the gov. to simply collect data as it travels 'through the pipes' - rather than having spiders run around arbitrarily gathering (thats for public/private companies).

lost story short - its collected before it hits the sites - they control/own the pipes.

Yes, true...we definitely strayed off-topic.

But there is still the issue of companies serving as data-storage proxies for the US government, companies who will research your "internet footprint" among many other data sources. Spiders play an important role in this. Consider, in the Clinton years and before you could never get a Top Secret clearance if you were a "commie". Now the target has shifted...you need to be a "Bushie" to get that clearance.

Any disagreements with that observation?