We have a right to privacy

We have no 'right to privacy'; "Privacy" or rights thereunto are relatively new concepts to society over the past 70 years or so. It isn't mentioned in the Constitution. It isn't mentioned in the Declaration of Independence.

Let me be clear: You post your information to Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Snapchat/etc etc etc. You do that; the government isn't 'stealing' your thoughts.

The government then takes that data from the corporation (it's their data now) and thus, has spied on you. But they aren't spying on you, they're spying on the corporation you gave your data freely to. Fully within the law under the US PATRIOT act (and back in 2001, as one who was protesting then, we knew this).

That's you giving your privacy over to a private corporation which treats you not as a customer (you aren't), but as a product. You agreed to give up your privacy to these people, and they will sell it to make a profit (or give it away to comply with the US PATRIOT Act).

The former head of NSA had this to say (paraphrasing): "If you are not paying for the service, then you are the product." Think about that: What does the NSA care about people and advertising? Why should they? They knew exactly how this would work.

I think if our forefathers saw the 'but we wants our privacy' arguments, they'd laugh. The irony of people yelling on social media (a system built around transparency for our own lives for all to see) about their 'right to privacy' (which again, is not anywhere in the Constitution or Declaration) is deafening.

Now I'm not saying 'give up and sit down', I'm not saying you're wrong to want privacy. What I'm saying is that you're misinformed and you (and all of us going into the future) are better served by investigating, and not just buying whatever you're told. I want you to go look up and confirm or deny what I've said here. Watch debates and interviews: they're freely available. Educate yourself. When you find an idea you really agree with, question it thoroughly. There is no black and white in this topic, only shades of gray: anyone who lays it out as if there is a definite solution is almost certainly misinformed or otherwise worse-off as well.

You're 15: You've got all your life ahead of you to do any number of things about it. Just because you can't vote doesn't mean you can't start now. More importantly, just because you are only one person doesn't mean it's not important. I started educating myself about politics and the world around that age. I was protesting in 2001 and 2002 (15 and 16 for me). At 15, you're an adult, in all ways but for the legal ones. Two hundred years ago you might be a father, or might be fighting a civil war as a soldier. Not a child soldier, but just a soldier. You've got a fully capable mind and body. You'll surprise yourself if you only give yourself the chance.