Editor’s Note: This is a terrific guest post submitted by one of our blog friends, Upinak.

While reading this McClatchy story, which talks about future leakers, it makes me really wonder how far government is taking this. This is what made me take a good hard look at the article:

‘Investigations also can be triggered when “suspicious user behavior” is detected by computer network monitoring and reported to “insider threat personnel.”’

Umm, suspicious user behavior can also mean they have a virus or worm, which for 98% of people who use computers, is totally unintentional, due to clicking on an email sent to them. How exactly does that help the tax payers and those who work in any government agency, when you have people who are hired to work for the federal government and are more or less computer and internet illiterate?

This was something else that bothered me to no end, and should bother anyone else, specifically those who are government workers:

“Federal employees and contractors are asked to pay particular attention to the lifestyles, attitudes and behaviors – like financial troubles, odd working hours or unexplained travel – of co-workers as a way to predict whether they might do “harm to the United States.”

Now let me be totally frank concerning this piece… for those who think they are being harassed at work, and now at home by these same individuals, there will be no real Human Resources for you to speak with concerning any rights you have. As of right now, you as a federal employee, have no rights as a worker. And let us not forgot those individuals, who are upset with you (for whatever the reason) and will constantly try to sabotage you and your job, via false allegations, which can follow you around if you are looking for another opportunity, or jail time. It happens more often than most people think.

Now, as McClatchy is speaking on this totally based on espionage, and so forth, this might be a good reminder for all to understand that the laws and regulations for both federal and state workers’ rights, don’t seem to apply to the federal government (and sometimes state governments). If the federal government can get away with your co-workers spying on you, what stops them from doing anything else?