When dealing with issues involving national security and intelligence collection, laws and professional ethics must be strictly observed. The following is the analysis of key points： ### Legal level： 1. **Principle of legality** National laws (such as China's "National Intelligence Law") clearly stipulate that intelligence work must be carried out by authorized agencies in accordance with the law. Individuals**Have no right** to carry out intelligence activities without authorization, even if the motivation is “national interest”. Unauthorized acts may constitute the crime of espionage, the crime of illegally obtaining State secrets, etc., and face criminal penalties. 2. **National interest≠personal judgment** The definition and decision-making power of “national interest” belong to specialized agencies authorized by the state (such as the National Security Department), and individuals have no right to interpret and take unauthorized actions on their own. Acting privately may lead to diplomatic conflicts, intelligence leaks and other consequences, but harm national interests. 3. **No exemption exception** The law usually does not exempt unauthorized acts “out of good faith” or “emergency”. Even if the information proves to be valuable afterwards, illegal acts are still subject to legal responsibility. --- ### Ethics and Effectiveness Level： 1. **Undermine the principle of the rule of law** The long-term stability of the country depends on legal authority. If an individual violates the law on the grounds of “patriotism”, it will shake society's trust in the rule of law and form a dangerous precedent. 2. **Professionalism and risk control** Intelligence work requires professional training, resource support, and risk assessment mechanisms. The lack of these guarantees for personal actions may lead to intelligence errors, exposure of actions, or misjudgment of the situation, which may endanger national security. 3. **International cooperation and trust** If unauthorized espionage activities are exposed, they may trigger international condemnation, economic sanctions or diplomatic crises, harming the country's image and strategic interests. --- ### Correct approach： 1. **Report through formal channels** If you have important intelligence clues, you should immediately report to an authorized department (such as a national security agency) for evaluation and processing by a professional team. 2. **Trust system design** The state has established a sound intelligence system, and individuals should fulfill their civic responsibilities and cooperate with rather than replace professional institutions. 3. **Raise legal awareness** Study the “National Security Law”, "Counterintelligence Law" and other regulations, clarify the boundaries between legal and illegal, and avoid violating the law due to "patriotism". --- **Conclusion：** The prerequisite for safeguarding national interests is **Compliance with the law**. Any unauthorized ”private intelligence collection" is illegal and not only fails to truly protect national interests, but may lead to serious consequences. Citizens should support national security work through legal means.