After the incident of September 11, 2001, the public, frightened, demanded more security. The United States Government was only too happy to oblige. The passage of a series of laws consolidated into one law, known as the Patriot Act, compromised the people's right to free speech as well as many other rights set forth in the Bill of Rights. And thanks to digital media, the privacy of people subject to this law would be almost non-existent (Larry Abramson). This act violates ethical principles by monitoring lives in an unprecedented manner (Susan). While steps must be taken to secure our borders against terrorist threats, it is not acceptable to do so at the expense of long-established fundamental rights for the sake of security. While at present, many of the stricter provisions of the Patriot Act have already been abandoned. , many still impose restrictions on fundamental rights. One such provision is the ability for government officials to use a “Sneak and Peek” warrant. This is a warrant that allows authorities to search a home or business without immediately notifying the target of an investigation (Larry Abramson). This is unconstitutional because it deprives citizens of their right to due process. Although many may consider this a good thing in the case of major offenders, the wording is too broad to limit it to these crimes. It could be used even for minor offenses like evading speeding tickets (Kristin Beischel). Additionally, if the owner of the said property is not on the premises at the time of the search, it would be easy to plant evidence. This could be used to eliminate political dissent without due process. At the time of its passage, the Patriot Act contained numerous provisions to monitor public communications. Roving wiretaps... in the middle of a paper... in themselves. The invasion of privacy, vague wording, and possible misuse of the provisions set forth in the Patriot Act make it an unethical violation of fundamental rights. of American citizenship. And while many of the worst provisions have ended, they set a precedent. The American people and the American government have allowed their right to privacy to be violated, and it would be all too easy for it to happen again. Works Cited Kristin Beischel, Jessica Metz, Christine Rathbone. The PATRIOTE law. nd Document. April 6, 2012. .Larry Abramson, Maria Godoy. The Patriot Act: main controversies. and Web. April 6, 2012. .Susan. USA Patriot Act. March 20, 2006. the web. April 6 2012. .