Pros And Cons Of A Surveillance Society

A Surveillance Society: malevolent or benevolent? George Orwell’s 1984 couldn’t be further from the truth than today as it foreshadowed the frightening emergence of a surveillance society. In this society, the government establishes a network of agencies that collects, stores, records, and analyzes data for the sole purpose of security and monitoring its citizens’ daily lives. However, the scope of what to monitor raises ethical, moral, and social questions that challenge the principle of national security. The boundaries between personal liberties and national security collide as both ideals contend toward the preservation of freedom. Privacy is the main concern held by critics of the surveillance society. They champion the ideal that a
One of the core issues with “Big Brother” watching us is that it fosters disillusionment towards the government. Policy and legislation play a key role influencing the actions of American intelligence agencies. In his article “TORT LAW VS. PRIVACY” Eugene Volokh discusses the merits and consequences of tort law and its role in domestic national affairs. Tort laws are created to protect individuals against the unreasonable actions of others. There are however, instances of obligations to reveal personal information i.e. sexually transmitted diseases, risk factors, and criminal convictions, all vital to protect against legal negligence of others (Volokh). However to rebuttal those cases, privacy-implicating precautions are taken account into the court of law with jurors, judges, and observers. A degree of discretion for example is necessary to protect the privacy rights of the defendant or plaintiff; Miranda rights are usually entitled in the case of the former. Unlike the Miranda rights, a surveillance society permits little room for privacy or discretion, privacy is an implied negative liberty derived from the fourth amendment. It would behoove the interest citizens to take civil action against this unscrupulous