it would be the ideal way to tune in on us don't you think?
2007-05-10 15:22:51 · 11 answers · asked by marccat80 4 in Social Science ➔ Sociology
If the government was smart, it could probably learn a lot from monitoring Yahoo answers. The truth is that they're probably way too under-funded to do anything like that. If the government had enough money to watch an internet site, they'd probably use it to start winning the war in Iraq and then we wouldn't be voting their Republican butts out of Congress.
Croa: I like your point about the Internet and sociology. As an institution, the internet is unique in many respects. I've done some studies on religous Yahoo Groups and- hey, do I know you in real-life? You sound like someone I know at Penn State.
2007-05-10 15:36:40 · answer #1 · answered by Conrad 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I wouldn't be surprised to find out they've got somebody down in the basement whose job is to watch Yahoo! Answers. (If I'm right, hello to you, guy in the basement!)
But more than that, everyone who is on Yahoo! Answers is a kind of monitor, and Yahoo! itself has monitors watching. (-: It's not the greatest place in the world to plot a revolution. But then again, I stick mostly to the home and garden section, so I don't see much of that anyway.
2007-05-10 22:38:41 · answer #2 · answered by Madame M 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, the FBI has been given permission quite awhile ago to keep an eye on the Internet. I can't remember which act it was that GWB signed, but it was on the news programs for weeks. It has something to do with Homeland Security, and they have caught some terrorists because of it. They don't even have to get warrants to tap phones when it comes to terrorists. Certain words que them into investigating.
2007-05-10 22:35:30 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure if it's the government or not doing the spying, but someone surely ought to be!
This is a huge piece of the sociological pie.
Great question.
Good luck
EDIT: Justin-I wish.
Sounds like some fun studies, tho.
2007-05-10 22:26:37 · answer #4 · answered by Croa 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, but corporate data miners might.
A lot of people on YA are not who they represent themselves to be. Many say things just see other people get upset. Pretty useless to intelligence community to psychoanalyze bored high school kids.
Corporate marketers through data miners would be interested to look for trends in public mood.
But then again maybe I am giving the spooks to much credit.
(spooks is a slang for spy)
2007-05-11 00:59:56 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Inasmuch as the government is made up of people, it's possible. My philosophy about such things is that we should be willing to live our lives in such a way as to find no room for fault or criticism in the way that we behave. Be honorable. Be honest. Let those that watch notice these things.
2007-05-10 22:49:17 · answer #6 · answered by Mark W 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I see absolutely no evidence that the government cares what we think.
Remember though, the answer to Big Brother watching us is for all of us to watch Big Brother.
Daylight Government.
2007-05-10 22:43:28 · answer #7 · answered by virtualguy92107 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Maybe someone on the low end of the spectrum of authority.
2007-05-10 22:44:28 · answer #8 · answered by Old Gregg 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, I doubt that they even care how we think. Isn't that obvious by the way they're running the country?
2007-05-10 23:35:04 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Which government? And don't you think that they know what we're thinking anyway?
http://www.alldigitall.net
2007-05-11 03:37:29 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋