Touched by Technology Do you know who is tracking your movements when your turn on your cell phone, or what is being done with that information? These are questions that I recently had to ask myself after reading two insightful articles. The first was by Ronald Bailey called “Your Cellphone is Spying on You” and the other was by Terry J. Allen entitled “Reach Out and Track Someone”. In Ronald Bailey’s article, he explores the use of cellular phone tracking technology by law enforcement and their recent attempts to expand the surveillance laws to include more use of cell phones to track users’ movements without their knowledge. In addition he gives us some perspective on the idea of a big brother watching over us by examining what a …show more content…
Bailey expresses that the technology is not inherently bad, but that the methods by which it is being used today does show a lack of respect for the constitutional rights of citizens. Although these two men have different bases for their beliefs they each agree that masses of unwitting citizens, some of whom are not even accused of any crime, are being tracked from a distance by the government and private companies and that there are a growing number of abuses by each of these entities that require immediate action. I do not fear my government as a whole, but I do fear that, as the words of the British historian Lord Acton “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”. Knowing that you may be under surveillance ultimately reduces a person to a slave of sorts. It reduces the subject of the surveillance to the point of acting and performing as surveyor would want it to for fear of the repercussions of any subversive act. We live in a world of constantly evolving technology, but the moral standard under which we use these new devices and knowledge is rooted in our past. Our societal expectation is that our government acts with a level of integrity where citizens are not tracked without cause or due process, and we should demand no less of the private sector with information of such a delicate nature. To demand freedom is to bear some risk
5 Ways You Give The Government Control” written by Kenneth Coats shows how the devices we use daily slowly take over individuals lives. Coats states, “Today, most people in the United States carry a mobile phone that accompanies them wherever they go. We use them for everything...This essentially makes them the perfect tracking and bugging devices”. Although electronic devices are known to be safe, they allow outside people to figure out individuals personal life. Due to the need for devices such as cell phones, each individual has a high chance of being socially stalked once in their lifetime. Coats then states, “Not only do intelligence agencies gather information via mobile companies, but… your phone can be hacked using spyware. Even if your phone is turned off, it can be remotely accessed to recorded conversations and take photographs”. This issue causes a panic due to the wide spread of inappropriate pictures and private conversations in one's life. Even though technology is viewed as a privileged, it is also taking away people's lives without their
Nowadays, phones have been glued to our hands. But how many people would be attracted to their phones if they know they are being tracked? Over the recent years as technology began to grow phones has been a big success. People are making calls, sending text messages, accessing the Internet , and sharing personal data.It doesn't matter whether your phone is a smartphone or whether you use it to make calls; as long as your phone is turned on, it registers its location with cell phone networks several times a minute, and all U.S. cell phone companies hold on to that data, some of them for years.
Technology has become more accessible to the point it has become easier for government to watch everyone's move. In this generation technology takes over everyone's daily life, where people wakes up and the first thing is look at is the phone. A phone there are many things on it, like text, pictures and videos. Phones can do many things, but there is a possibility where the government can tap into a phone and look through it. The government can watch everyone’s: text, history, private info, and pictures. Government has no right to looking through people’s personal info because it violates Fourth amendment, Blackmail, and Creates fear.
•Every citizen is under constant surveillance. Everything they do is tracked and monitored by various types of Councils and Judges.
A government should not waste its time and resources keeping tabs and spying on its own civilians who are innocent haven’t done anything to make them a person of interest. Only people who have had previous offenses or are suspected of being terrorist and or criminals should be tracked. The government in 1984 spies on its citizens day and night. For example “They could spy upon you night and day”(Orwell, 182). Watching people in their daily lives is an extreme invasion of privacy. Imagine if your parents watched you twentyfour seven in your room when you were growing up. You probably wish they’d have some human decency and give you some privacy. When you are constantly being monitored nothing in your life is or can be private and there is no escape from being stocked. For example “Always
Privacy and safety of citizens is common in today's society, as well as the government looking over their shoulder at all times. As an example, George Orwell wrote a book called, "1984" which in it gave an outlook of society being taken over by a party. Government surveillance is different from protecting and bringing safety to the citizens, it violates their freedom, privacy, and human rights.
With the seemingly exponential propagation of inexpensive digital communications technologies over recent years, the general public is becoming more aware of the issues surrounding information privacy and government surveillance in the digital age. Every Tom, Dick, and Harry with a smart-phone has to be wary of how they use their private information for fear of that information being collected and used in a way contrary to their wishes. "Leaky" smartphone apps that transmit private information across the internet can be unethically used by government agencies. The issue of privacy is a balancing act; the public usually wants increased privacy and the government usually wants increased access.
Several court cases, some dating back to the early 2000s, have been held over the tracking and/or seizure of cell phones by police authority. This has stirred up massive controversy due to the courts inconsistent rulings that seem to vary by state. This can be troublesome in many instances where a similar trial in two different states can have two different rulings, meaning there is no precedent rule or written mandate for such occasion. While cell phone technology in particular is becoming more and more of a utility for not just our personal but our public lives as well, the people are beginning to fight for their privacy through the use of their digital
Imagine someone living in a country that turns surveillance equipment on its own citizens to monitor their locations, behavior, and phone calls. Probably no one is willing to live in such place where privacy is being undermined by the authorities. For people living in the U.S., their private information has been more vulnerable than ever before because the government is able to use various kinds of surveillance equipment and technology to monitor and analyze their activities, conversations, and behaviors without their permission, in the name of homeland security. Mass surveillance has jeopardized people’s privacy and deprived individuals of their freedom, which is associated with dignity, trust, and autonomy. In the
This also brings up the question, do you want to fear your leader or do you want to be like them? The government should be able to monitor anyone who has access to technology but it should definitely be limited. In a totalitarian society, the rulers want absolute power and control. To gain control, they have to take over their people.
Are the controversies true? Am I always being watched? These questions are typical questions that most Americans might be asking themselves for the past few years. For years, the American eye has been opened to everyday threats of being watched, monitored and spied on by the government. For some, this may not have come off as shocking as it may have had to other, but the problem is still there and problem is still there. The problem Americans face is the problem of being under constant surveillance by our “trusted” leaders. In America, government surveillance needs to be reduced.
Specific Purpose: My purpose of this presentation is to inform listeners about the dangers of government surveillance and why it should be stopped.
Ever since the American public was made aware of the United States government’s surveillance policies, it has been a hotly debated issue across the nation. In 2013, it was revealed that the NSA had, for some time, been collecting data on American citizens, in terms of everything from their Internet history to their phone records. When the story broke, it was a huge talking point, not only across the country, but also throughout the world. The man who introduced Americans to this idea was Edward Snowden.
Government surveillance in the past was not a big threat due to the limitations on technology; however, in the current day, it has become an immense power for the government. Taylor, author of a book on Electronic Surveillance supports, "A generation ago, when records were tucked away on paper in manila folders, there was some assurance that such information wouldn 't be spread everywhere. Now, however, our life stories are available at the push of a button" (Taylor 111). With more and more Americans logging into social media cites and using text-messaging devices, the more providers of metadata the government has. In her journal “The Virtuous Spy: Privacy as an Ethical Limit”, Anita L. Allen, an expert on privacy law, writes, “Contemporary technologies of data collection make secret, privacy invading surveillance easy and nearly irresistible. For every technology of confidential personal communication…there are one or more counter-technologies of eavesdropping” (Allen 1). Being in the middle of the Digital Age, we have to be much more careful of the kinds of information we put in our digital devices.
“Tracking Is an Assault on Liberty” is an essay written by Nicholas Carr in 2010 in the Wall Street Journal. He said that there are chances that, “our personal data will fall into the wrong hands” (Carr 438). It means that people’s personal information might drop under the hands of hackers, data aggressors, and stalkers. In addition, Carr believes that “personal information may be used to influence our behavior and even our thoughts in ways that are invisible to us” (Carr 439). It means that the data aggressors misuse people’s information in opposite way or in a wrong way. For example, data aggressors steal the people’s personal information and use that information for their own benefits. Therefore, Carr believes that government should regulate the internet. Unlike Carr, Harper believes that people are responsible for their own information. They should be aware and concerned about potential dangers of posting their personal information on the internet. However, it’s people duty to be aware of its consequences before posting any of their personal