Claim:   The FBI or Homeland Security tracks your every online keystroke with a pair of animated eyes.

Status:   False.

Example:   [Collected on the Internet, 2003]

Homeland Security has announced they will soon be implementing new software which will record every click of your mouse. It is their belief that it will operate completely transparently and that the average user will not notice any difference in performance. Click on the URL below to observe this incredible new technology. While I agree we need to do what we can for national security, I think they may have gone too far! http://users.chartertn.net/tonytemplin/FBI_eyes/

Origins:   Some days the contents of our inbox scares even us, we who have seen just about everything. We're sympathetic to those who are concerned the hunt for terrorists has placed into the hands of the FBI and similar agencies powers that perhaps ought not to have been, but when worry that Big Brother might be watching every move reaches the point where even the most obvious of jokes is taken at face value, we're left at a loss for what to say.

This particular leg-pull has been around at least since December 2002. And yes, we have really and truly had people ask us if it was for real.

Barbara "lying eyes" Mikkelson

Last updated:   18 March 2007

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