Government surveillance, such as the NSA, is one of the most controversial and complex organizations the modern world has seen. Some say they are there to protect America, but how far do we go with security until it becomes an invasion of privacy? Recently, reports have increased about mass surveillance being carried out by the government and how this surveillance is beginning to invade the privacy of Americans. The President of the United States defended surveillance, saying, “You can't have 100 percent security and 100 percent privacy at the same time” (“Balancing”). Government surveillance programs use supercomputers that analyze huge amounts of data, and it has been said that the surveillance network can reach around 75% of the Internet. The idea of ​​a government spying on citizens both angers and calms others. Supporters say domestic eavesdropping is crucial to keeping the country safe during the war on terror. Critics say the spying program is another direct affront to the public's civil liberties, since it violates the privacy rights guaranteed by the Fourth Amendment. Some may believe that the actions taken by the government are unconstitutional; However, this is inaccurate: “in situations considered emergencies, executive agencies such as the NSA had the right to eavesdrop without a warrant” (“Surveillance”). This allows the NSA to act on any situation that might seem viable at the time. Using supercomputers, the NSA analyzes massive amounts of data, including "phone calls, tweets, and social media posts" (Chuck). Recently, the government built a huge, top-secret compound in Utah specifically to store electronic data for the NSA. This "1.5 million...... middle of paper...... telephone calls or electronic communications" by carrying out surveillance operations without oversight from the courts, the government is "breaking the law and exercising executive power without control. ("Monitoring"). This allows the NSA to track anyone at any time. It's just not unconstitutional, but it's also an attack on the privacy of all American citizens. Although government surveillance helps to better protect citizens, the measures taken infringe on the civil liberties of every individual. As the government attempts to protect its national security, every action taken will be criticized, some respectably and others misjudged. Although government surveillance has contributed to many solutions to terrorism, the act of surveilling a U.S. citizen is unconstitutional under the First Amendment, as well as being considered an invasion of privacy..