From efforts to collect and sell intimate medical and financial information about us, to government attempts to collect our DNA and to eavesdrop on us through a global electronic surveillance system called "Echelon," our right to privacy is under sustained attacked.

And while many believe the widespread dissemination of our personal data is harmless, the ACLU believes that what they know can hurt us.

The issue of collecting DNA is just one example. Anticipating a citizen databank bonanza for government at every level, various public officials have floated proposals that range from requiring DNA samples from anyone who is arrested for any reason (advocated by the International Association of Chiefs of Police) to taking DNA samples from all newborns (an idea floated by New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani).

There are many potential abuses inherent in DNA collection – such as employers denying people jobs based on genetically linked diseases or health defects, or insurers using DNA-derived information to impose limits on an individual's healthcare coverage.

Another example of unwarranted invasion of privacy is the new Federal Communication Commission rules (which the ACLU and other privacy groups are seeking to block in federal appeals court) that will enable the FBI to dictate the design of much of this nation's communication infrastructure. If finally enacted, these rules would allow the FBI to track the physical location of cellular phone users, as well as to monitor Internet traffic, which could result in a significant increase in overall government interception of digital communication.

And as we describe in a special website, http://www.echelonwatch.org, the surveillance system code-named Echelon allows our government and others to eavesdrop on private citizens. This global surveillance system captures satellite, microwave, cellular, and fiber-optic communications worldwide, sorts through this information upon request, and then forwards whatever information is requested by an intelligence agency. Because the very existence of Echelon raises profound civil liberties questions, the ACLU will continue to call for thorough – and public – investigation of the uses and potential abuses of Echelon.