In light of the recent decision by the U.S. Senate to allow the NSA to continue to perform warrantless wiretapping on U.S. Citizens, I feel that the use of encryption is now more important than ever. Here's a few things you can do to keep your private communications between you and your intended parties. These tips won't just help to keep you safe from the government, but will also help to protect you from identity thieves and crackers as well.

• Do most of your web browsing via HTTP over SSL, ie: https://www.subversity.net.
  Online banking sites understand the importance of using SSL to keep your financial information secure, isn't it time we start using it to keep our passwords and other information secure? SSL, or Secure Sockets Layer, provides secure communication over the Internet through the use of encryption. In layman's terms, encryption is a way to "scramble" your data or messages in such a way that it cannot be deciphered by a cracker or surveillance equipment installed in a secure room on AT&T's premesis somewhere.
• Send and receive your email using SSL or TLS.
  Many mail servers, but certainly not all, will relay your mail encrypted via TLS. It's only right that you download your email in the same manner! TLS, or Transport Layer Security, is an improvement of SSL and prevents eavesdropping, tampering, and forgery.
  Gmail users: Use the tip above by using https://mail.google.com or enable POP3 or IMAP with SSL!
• Use a VPN service like Relakks.
  A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, works by tunneling all of your connections to a specific endpoint and encrypting all of the data sent over it. Your data will be decrypted when it reaches the endpoint, but this type of service can add a layer of security and anonymity if used properly!
• For certain uses, an anonymizing onion-routing network like Tor could be helpful.
  Tor works by encrypting your data and routing it through a series of voluntary servers. Each server only knows where it received the data from and where it needs to go next, making it very difficult (if not impossible) to trace the source.
• Switch to Instant Messaging and chat protocols that allow for encrypted communication.
  For IM, Jabber is one such protocol that allows for encryption. Meanwhile, SILC (Secure Internet Live Conferencing) could be a viable replacement for chat. I don't recommend IRC over SSL, as most public servers still allow for non-encrypted communication and will relay your chat in plaintext!
• Consider setting up a Darknet with your trusted friends.
  Your Darknet doesn't have to be elaborate - A simple VPN could do. There are also several very promising applications out there to accomplish this. I'm currently experimenting with FreeNet.
• Support the EFF and the ACLU
  The EFF and the ACLU are two organizations that have been involved in the fight to secure our rights to privacy since the very beginning. There are a multitude of ways you can support them, check their respective pages for more information!

If anyone has any other tips, let me know!