For example, would you want Symantec selling to consumers software designed to scan/update their systems, but at the same time using much of that same basic knowledge to assist the FBI in scanning their e-mail or hard drive contents? Would you then buy from Symantec not knowing just how much the government may have influenced their business decisions and products, what things their software should scan for and report, the exact nature of updates to which you have subscribed, or what data or files to overlook during system scans for some “national security” reason?

I, for one, would have very serious doubts about buying the products of any firm that had access to my computer (as their virus and malware software/updates have), and also worked directly with the government to assist in scanning consumers’ computers without their knowledge. I would love to see an expose of those firms providing this “commercial software for online spying.” I am willing to bet there might be a few surprises.