In this thesis I explore the debate on surveillance in Swedish newspapers that preceded the FRA law. The development in information technology has made it possible to monitor society to a greater extent than before. It is therefore interesting and important to explore a debate preceding a controversial law on surveillance. The primary purpose of this thesis is to add to a better understanding of how such a law was discussed in Swedish newspapers and the relationship between idea and ideology in this debate. To answer these questions I explore the newspaper debate by using Isaiah Berlins notions of liberty, positive and negative liberty. By using Berlins text I manage to distinguish two main themes of liberty in the debate, freedom to privacy and freedom from foreign threats. The main findings of my study are the absence of arguments that support the implementation of the FRA law. I come to the conclusion that the Swedish government felt it was of great importance to implement the FRA law for reasons they could not express in the debate. This resulted in that liberal politicians voted against their own beliefs in order to implement a law they felt was important for other reasons.