"Snooping", to me, brings to mind images of disapproving mother-in-law looking through your medicine cabinet or little kids trying to find where you hid the Chr

"Snooping", to me, brings to mind images of disapproving mother-in-law looking through your medicine cabinet or little kids trying to find where you hid the Christmas presents. Whereas "surveilling" implies gathering the information necessary to blackmail, imprison, or kill someone.