All About Cookies is an independent, advertising-supported website. Some of the offers that appear on this site are from third-party advertisers from which All About Cookies receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear).
All About Cookies does not include all financial or credit offers that might be available to consumers nor do we include all companies or all available products. Information is accurate as of the publishing date and has not been provided or endorsed by the advertiser.
The All About Cookies editorial team strives to provide accurate, in-depth information and reviews to help you, our reader, make online privacy decisions with confidence. Here's what you can expect from us:
Government surveillance isn’t new. Edward Snowden revealed what was happening way back in 2013. What is new is the blatantly open moves made to show Americans that they don’t actually have the privacy they thought they did. If the current state of security and privacy concerns you, you may wonder what you can do to regain some control.
By reducing your online footprint with the best data removal services, you can stop the open flow of information about you. Additionally, a few more security measures will heighten your privacy and personal security. If you’re unsure where to start, we'll outline it for you below.
Removes your data from the web to avoid scams, spam and stalkers
100+ million successful opt-out removals
Provides continued removals every three months
Yes, the government is spying on us. The thing is, that’s not a new development. The government has always been spying on us, but it’s made its way into the news more than ever before.
Data security has been a concern for as long as individual data has been available. Now, however, DOGE is examining our medical records, social security information, financial records, and much more, all of which are connected to our digital footprints. There are multiple theories as to why, but most people believe it’s to survey and track immigrants and Americans alike.
No matter the reason, personal data privacy is a right that shouldn’t be ignored.
Honestly, if the government is watching you, you probably won’t know. It’s creepy and may make you feel unsettled, but it’s the truth.
The technology and capabilities available to the federal government are far beyond what we currently understand, and they would be ineffective if it were that easy to pinpoint. That being said, there may be some signs if the surveillance gets really intense:
In all likelihood, if the government is spying on you, you’ll never know. If you do find something suspicious, there may be a chance you’re under surveillance.
One of the easiest ways for the government to watch you is to gain access to your personally identifiable information collected by data brokers. These scavengers of the internet take aggregated information ranging from your name, address, and phone number to detailed maps of your house (we’ve seen them) and lists of your closest relatives.
To help keep your personal data off the internet (and off a broker’s site), use a data broker removal service.
If you’re seriously concerned about safeguarding your privacy, take additional steps to secure your data:
You could also not bring your device with you everywhere you go.
Blocks ads and pop-ups, including cookie consent requests, while browsing
Can also browse ad-free without a digital footprint with the Surfshark Search engine
All-in-one app includes VPN, antivirus scans, alternative ID creation, malware protection, and more on unlimited devices
As a cybersecurity expert, I use a VPN, antivirus software, a data broker removal service, an ad blocker, a firewall, a password manager, an identity theft protection service, and a private browser.
Using a virtual private network provides end-to-end encryption for the activity on your device. A VPN works by scrambling the exact information you’re transmitting so it can’t be read by prying eyes. The best VPNs offer a multitude of security features while also keeping your business private. I literally never use the internet without a VPN enabled.
And while this may seem like overkill, I also remove metadata from my photos before sharing them. Metadata can be used to track your location, so it’s better to be proactive.
We suggest using privacy and security software that includes the following protection features:
Yes, the U.S. government monitors everything online, and even more so now that DOGE is infiltrating our institutions. This is why it’s essential to be mindful of what you post, share, and comment on when interacting online. A good rule is to remember never to post anything online that you wouldn’t want read aloud in court.
Mass media refers to any form of communication that transmits information to a large audience. Mass media surveillance occurs when an entity, such as the government, monitors all forms of mass media, including social media, blogs, and video channels.
Illegal surveillance is monitoring someone’s activities, communications, or location without their knowledge or consent. If you’re being recorded without your knowledge, it’s likely illegal. You should check the local laws in your state or country to determine exactly what is considered illegal surveillance.
If it were five years ago, I’d say the government wasn’t watching you, and you shouldn’t be concerned. Unfortunately, now there’s a chance you are being spied on. While this is all being done in the name of “efficiency,” the more likely scenario is that the government is looking to categorize us into groups.
Since we don’t know the exact reasons behind the surveillance, we can’t know 100% why the government is watching us. Instead, we can utilize the best data removal services to minimize our online footprint and complement this with other top-notch security tools, such as a VPN, antivirus software, identity theft protection, and tracker blockers, to maximize our privacy.
Blocks ads and pop-ups, including cookie consent requests, while browsing
Can also browse ad-free without a digital footprint with the Surfshark Search engine
All-in-one app includes VPN, antivirus scans, alternative ID creation, malware protection, and more on unlimited devices
/images/2023/02/03/best-vpn-services.png)
/images/2023/12/01/omniwatch_review.jpg)
/images/2025/04/27/a_surveillance_street_camera_trained_on_pedestrians_analyzing_their_fa_1XXyCVG.jpg)
/images/2024/09/27/digital-footprint.jpeg)
/images/2024/09/12/end-to-end-encryption.jpeg)
/images/2023/10/27/is-chatgpt-safe.jpeg)
/images/2023/10/06/hand-pulling-data-strings-neon-blue.jpg)
/images/2022/09/02/connectivity-network-over-city.jpg)
/authors/mary-james_allaboutcookies-author.jpg){kind=small}
/authors/kate_quinlan_headshot_april_2024.png){kind=small}
/images/2023/10/11/logo-deleteme-700px.png){kind=logo}
/images/2024/03/06/surfshark_one.png)
/authors/mary-james_allaboutcookies-author.jpg)