The Importance Of Surveillance In Modern Society

Fearing the potential threat of an Orwellian dystopia, many people are having second thoughts about the government’s surveillance programs to thwart terrorism. Although the practice of surveillance by the National Security Agency (NSA) and PRISM has halted potential terrorist attacks, American citizens have recently learned in the summer of 2013 that their individual lives are no longer private. The United States Government is covertly tracking text messages, telephone conversations, web communications, online purchases, and locations of individuals all over the world. With programs like NSA and PRISM, these networks of surveillance programs are only a small portion of the largest surveillance system in history. Through this system, the government can acquire information, such as where people have traveled, their current location, and where they plan to go, under total secrecy. These programs were brought to light when former NSA employee, Edward Snowden, disclosed documents depicting the large-scale data collection. Altogether, surveillance is a crucial aspect of modern society, but with privacy intrusions, covert data collection, deficient restrictions, and lack of transparency, it can be more detrimental than beneficial.
Despite the consequences, surveillance does make the world a safer place by granting people a sense of comfort and providing society with a form of checks and balances. It allows criminals and fugitives to be held more accountable for their illicit activities (Bilton). In certain times, camera systems can even promote liberty and security therefore, the beneficial uses of surveillance all depend on the situation and how it is used (Volokh).
Surveillance’s primary focus in American society is to ensure th...

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...horities cannot solely depend on technological surveillance, but use it as an assistance to filter pit useless information and data (Kelly). Every NSA decisions must be within full involvement of its legal office and reviewed by White House and the Department of Justice (Hayden). Cameras are apparatuses that can be used for good and enforce good laws, s should only be a single step to solving problems (Volokh and Kelly). For the future development of surveillance, the government must recognize that surveillance transcends the boundary between public and private, secret surveillance is illegitimate, total surveillance is illegitimate and that government should not record all internet activities and surveillance itself it harmful (Richards). Ultimately, surveillance is a vital aspect of modern society, but has too many faults which is more detrimental than beneficial.