Essay On Surveillance Privacy

One can only imagine a government that could stop a terrorist before an attack occurs. Surveillance is the answer. But is surveillance strictly "security", or is that what they want you to think? Americans are sacrificing their civil liberties by letting the government surveillance unnecessary areas. The U.S. Constitution guarantees privacy under the fourth amendment. The Constitution also says individuals have the right to be free of any unwanted surveillance by the government. People, not big corporations or the government, should be able to rule when and how others can gain connections with ones personal information. The information they are receiving is invading personal privacy. Citizens need to take a stand against this invasion of privacy by protecting all sensitive information, whether it's called "metadata" or "content". The information needs to be protected and withheld by any third parties, as well as protecting information derived from other data. ("Privacy and Government Surveillance").

The Security Industry Association states that an estimated amount of surveillance cameras set in the U.S. are in the millions. The widespread use of the cameras leads a group called the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to question the increased use of surveillance cameras and, "why now"? The ACLU relates the use of cameras to the book, "1984" by George Orwell, saying that they're making a "Big Brother" impression; Which means that they are always being watched. The epidemic of video surveillance cameras are partly to blame from terrorist attacks, such as the September 11th attack, as well as rising crime. Critics say that the policies that are being put into effect to fight terrorism are going too far, reducing civil liberties,...

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...l calls surrounding the United States using the carrier within the last 3 months. Metadata is any and all information regarding any type of communication or data used. Metadata contains where a call was placed, track current locations, numbers called ingoing and outgoing, can also be tapped. The NSA denies everything regarding the collection of personal information, but according to former NSA employees, they say otherwise ('NSA Surveillance Programs").

In conclusion, the modern use of surveillance assists public safety, but not as much as they are an invasion of privacy. Americans should be aware of their civil liberties and protect them. There should not be a fine line between public safety and an invasion of privacy. NSA programs are illegal and overbroad. Do not let the U.S. constitution be un-followed. Remember wherever you are, “Big Brother is watching you.”