It has recently been reported that the Department of Justice, headed by Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, is pressuring the CEOs of the major Internet service providers to retain logs of their customers online activities. This is something that is already being practiced by the European Union and Gonzales is apparently looking at their data retention paradigm as a model for what he would like to do here.

While there are not yet any laws requiring such retention in the U.S. similar laws have been struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court), Congress may soon get into the act and attempt to pass one. Right now, it is basically up to each ISP to determine whether it will comply with this request.

They should all just say no. The whole rationale for such a request is to make it easier of the FBI and other law enforcement officials to catch those who potentially involved in terrorism or child pornography. Such records could provide key evidence in cases against those accused of such activity. However, privacy of the average law-abiding citizen should be of greater concern. This would lay bare far too much of our private information for snoops of all kinds to see.

Would you want people reading your emails? Would you want people knowing what Websites you access from your private computer? Would you want people reading the text of your instant messages? I would answer no to each question and Im sure a majority of Americans would as well. This information could leave you open to lawsuits, termination of employment, divorce, denials of credit, broken friendships and relationships, misunderstandings, etc. As we all have learned the hard way at one time or another during the course of our lives, private matters are private for a good reason.

Contact your ISP and demand that they not only refuse to retain that data, but refrain from collecting it in the first place. Most Americans have more than option for Internet service, so threaten to drop your ISP if they refuse to comply with your demands. If enough of us did this, they would listen.

As far as Congress is concerned, write your senators and congressman and let them know this is still the United States of America and that we have no desire to be like Europe. Demand that they abstain from passing such dangerous legislation.

Terry Mitchell

Terry Mitchell is a software engineer, freelance writer, blogger, and amateur political analyst from Hopewell, VA. He's been in the software development/engineering line of work for over 24 years.

He blogs and writes about various subjects such as current events, politics, cultural and social issues, health and well-being, personal finance, religion, technology, media issues, law, government, sports, humor, and trivia.

Through the BlogBurst network, his blog entries are often carried on the Website of the Houston Chronicle, one of the top newspapers in America. In addition, his columns and essays regularly appear on American Chronicle's network of 21 online magazines. They have also appeared online on American Daily, Media Monitors International, Opinion Editorials, The Washington Dispatch, Arrivenet, and hundreds of additional websites.

Terry never misses an opportunity to assail political correctness and take pot shots at the conventional foolishness. He's not a bandwagon jumper - he writes stuff that others should be writing, but are not. He thinks of himself as a kind of modern American philosopher. His blog offers commentary from a unique point of view that is not often found in mainstream media.

Terry would love to have his blog picked up and syndicated by a major news or web organization. He also plans to write a book based on his blog. But, for now, he mainly writes for free as a hobby and enjoys having his aritcles posted on as many websites, ezines, news letters, newspapers, and magazines as possible.