Arguments Against Government Surveillance

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In the age where technology continues to advance rapidly, communications and information are now one click away. Individuals are given more opportunities to discover the world, and meanwhile allowing groups such as governments or terrorists to gain access to these civilians’ public and even personal affairs. Government surveillance threatens the citizens’ rights to privacy while intelligence agency like NSA claims to be protecting the country via monitoring.

WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?
With news about terrorists’ activities coming out from time to time, spreading fear all around, it is the governments’ duty to protect their citizens. Hoffman (2006) describes that terrorists intend to cause fear or violence to the society, and often aim towards political change even at the expense of innocent lives. Since 9/11 attack of the World Trade Center, governments decided to join “war on terror” especially by taking higher measures on security in their countries (Mattellart, 2010). Governments have taken counter-terror measures by monitoring their citizens through digital surveillance (Khazan, 2013). For governments, serving their nation, security comes first (Telegraph View, 2010).
To find potential terrorists and criminals, the …show more content…

The result showed a divided view, without one having the majority vote (Abdullah, 2015). Although some people did not mind government tracking phone calls or internet activities, they are more concerned of letting the private sector or government keep their data (Abdullah, 2015). Because the NSA has been snooping around the US citizens electronic devices without permission and for unknown purposes (Greenwald, MacAskill, & Poitras, 2013), NSA may have lost trust from those who value privacy. The NSA may need to reform its policy to gain the trust and confidentiality back while still being able to carry out its mission (Byman & Wittes,

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