Electronic Surveillance

Electronic surveillance has been an important part in the debate between civil liberties and national [Page 527]security. Soon after the invention of the telegraph, the government began intercepting communications. Enterprising individuals intercepted communications for profit. State legislatures responded by prohibiting electronic surveillance. Soon after, the government learned that electronic surveillance provided intelligence and evidence against criminal conspiracies. As electronic surveillance increased, supporters and opponents of it lobbied for legislation. Though legislation followed to restrict surveillance, the ...