My Comments: I’m fond on the expression that says “just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean there isn’t someone out there trying to kill you”.

I fully understand the perceived need of those charged with keeping us safe to want to use every technological means possible to identify the threats before they become reality. And I also recognize this is moving us as a society into areas where none of us have been before and there are few established boundaries.

It’s not unlike my three year old grandson who is pushing every day to determine where the boundaries are to govern his behavior. And since his parents have never had to do this before, they too are learning where and how to set limits.

We have to do the same thing on a national scale when it comes to snooping and privacy.

By Robert Shrimsley | The Financial Times | June 26, 2013

Agencies that have abused their power have a long way to go to regain the trust they now demand.

The vital thing to understand is that the innocent have nothing to fear. It is important you understand this as reports of sweeping US and British intelligence surveillance programmes proliferate.

This is the argument of every democratic government as it seeks to justify a reduction of civil liberties. The innocent have nothing to fear; trust us – we’re the good guys.

But one does not need to join the hyperbole equating this surveillance with China or North Korea, or even to doubt the good intentions of the US National Security Agency or the UK’s GCHQ, to be left uneasy by such arguments. Even those who believe it helps prevent terrorist attacks ought to be wary of “the innocent have nothing to fear” line.

This argument only flies if one can trust the agencies gathering and using this information and, in the UK at least, this debate has flared up just as we are being given reason to question the most visible arm of UK security – the police service.

The innocent have nothing to fear. It would be interesting to hear the views of Duwayne Brooks on that. The main witness to the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence in 1993 – and a close friend of the victim – should not have had anything to fear. But this week we have learnt that, even as they were failing to nail the teenager’s killers, police officers were apparently gathering dirt to smear the friends and family of the murdered boy because they were criticising the police investigation. An officer went undercover among campaigners, because – obviously – anyone questioning the police must be out to undermine society. The home secretary has ordered an inquiry. The innocent have nothing to fear.