Watching the Watcher

I like the image of someone being watched while watching others. What I don't know is who we are afraid of? Are we afraid that the government is watching us, tracking our every move and waiting for terrorist activity? Or are we scared of the advertising companies finding out what we like and using it to market those things to us. Point taken that I don't want my Google record scanned for porn or my e-mails linking me to a drug ring in case I decide to run for president. But what about the times they keep us safe? I like my spyware even if it is designed by the evil corporation, it keeps my computer from crashing when I waste my time with illegal downloads. I'm not sure where the line is between too much and just fine, but I am sure that some of the surveillance is OK by me. My problem with my e-mails being scanned is that it seems unnecessary. There are ways to get to know me without sneaking through my diary. This is a step that will most likely cause more trouble than its worth. What ever happened to good old fashioned surveys?