How does government surveillance help us? Does it truly protect national security and public safety?
This question is difficult to answer because it is a mixture of both yes and no. Government surveillance does keep us safe and protected to a certain extent.
When it is used properly, it can protect us from hackers, protect our personal information, can help lower cyber crime and help prevent terrorism. But when it is misused, it can restrict the exercise of human rights and free will. There are some certain surveillance companies that abuse their status and can infiltrate civil liberties. It can also cause people to feel scared and as if they are being watched which can cause people to feel a constant state of paranoia. It can limit the use of internet controls, pairing video surveillance with artificial intelligence-driven tools and the use of big data analytic tools. In the article, “Guiding Principles on Government Use of Surveillance Technologies” it states, “Surveillance technologies can be important tools for protecting national security and public safety when used responsibly and in a manner consistent with applicable international law. At the same time, a growing number of governments misuse surveillance technologies to restrict access to information and the exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms.”
Some people believe that the government should have total control over everything having to do with surveillance. This is believed because they think that it would protect us and keep us fully isolated from any outside dangers. This is not true because the overuse of government surveillance can cause crowding on private investments and the fall of many industries that focus on privacy which could potentially damage the economy. And no matter what we do outside dangers will always find a way in.
In order to stop the overuse of government surveillance, Congress could begin to push the idea that the government is not allowed to purchase personal information without a warrant, court order or permission from the person. To protect yourself from government surveillance, you could encrypt and password protect your device which would help to maintain control over your privacy and device.
Overall, while government surveillance has its pros, it is mostly cons due to the way that the government uses it. It limits civil liberties, freedom of speech and fundamental freedoms.
