Answer: If you are using MSN Messenger, AIM, ICQ, IRC, or any other instant messaging or
chatting software, the chances are your conversations can be and are being watched.
Email messages sent to you sit on mail servers all around the world and anyone with access to
these servers can read your messages at any time. Since most mail servers have back-ups done every day,
your emails could be sitting in data-warehouses in various places around the world for many years to come.
All other chat software uses plain text messages, which means your conversations can be monitored by the chat server you are
using, by your office network administrators or even your ISP (and any of the numerous networks
it travels through on its way to its destination).
The Echelon spy network can allegedly monitor all plain text email messages, fax, telephone, mobile, SMS and chat communication.
