Pros And Cons Of Whistleblower Edward Snowden
Picture it like this, having a stranger stare for an extended period of time can be uncomfortable and hostile, right? Government surveillance is no different, except this is coming from the government. Ever since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the government alongside with the NSA (National Security Agency) have had a watchful eye on U.S. citizens. A watchful eye being surveillance cameras, collecting internet metadata, phone calls, messages and GPS systems. The government claims that the collection of vast data is to protect the county and its peoples. Though, at what point does trying to protect the safety of American citizens translate to being completely invasive of one's privacy? In 2013, whistleblower Edward Snowden only confirmed the concerns that were on everyone's mind as to whether or not they were being spied on by government programs. Not only is the actual reasoning as to why the government collecting people's information questionable, but the concern as to what
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they are using it for is on the back of everyone's mind. The goal of the American people is to become aware of what the government is doing with their personal information because if they cannot protect them, then who will?
.
The word surveillance derives from the french term for “looking upon”, the term encompasses not only visual observation but the scrutiny of all behavior, speech, and actions.
Government Surveillance is not something that just came about the past few years, it was officially formed on November 4, 1952 and has progressed over the years but it was when the United States was hit with terrorist attacks in 2001 was when the government began to up their surveillance on the people. The Government, alongside with the NSA (National Security Agency) stoop as low as to going through people's personal messages, phone calls, and GPS systems in order to keep a close eye on U.S. citizens. What is not taken in consideration when being invasive is that these actions can cause paranoia in the people, the government jeopardizes whatever sense of trust citizens have built around them. This type of surveillance can easily make anyone feel like they are constantly under a microscope, every single move being
monitored. Chavez 2
GPS and cellphone tracking. Facial recognition cameras. Drones that can tell if someone is armed. Digital spying. These are only a few of the technologies used by people in the law enforcement to simpletons like store owners. Simpletons like store owners are able to effortlessly get information like this. The dangers of surveillance is that a person's information can be so easily obtained easily and by anyone through some of the seemly harmless the government has to offer. How are the peoples lives so easily endangered? “...Surveillance poses is its effect on the power dynamic between the watcher and the watched. This disparity creates the risk of a variety of harms, such as discrimination, coercion, and the threat of selective enforcement, where critics of the government can be prosecuted or blackmailed for wrongdoing unrelated to the purpose of the surveillance” (Richards, 2013). Citizens can be easily be put at risk because of information that has been made so easily obtainable. What is the point of having authority such as the government of the NSA when it is them that are throwing their people into the sharks. The main danger of government surveillance is that not only can it endanger the wellbeing of the American citizens but it is a threat to our intellectual privacy. It can be used by the watcher as a weapon such as blackmail and persuasion to the person itself. How one control themselves when they are the ones being controlled.
No matter to what topic it is concerning, there is always two sides of it; the good and the bad, the pros and cons. In regards to the controversial topic of the government's surveillance of American citizens, take into consideration the pros and cons of this subject. Regarding the pros, first and foremost, some security is coming out of these programs. Whether it be something significantly large like protection from any sort of terrorist attack or something a bit minor, the NSA programs are there to protect the people of the United States. It was only last year where one of the NSA facial-recognition software helped authorities catch Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, also known as the Boston Bombers. “The idea of submitting to constant monitoring feels wrong, nearly un-American, to most of us. Cameras in the sky are the ultimate manifestation of Big Brother -- way for the government to watch you all the time, everywhere” (Kelly, 2014). Some people do not like the idea of being constantly monitored- and rightfully so- yet, in a way the watchful eye of the government can have some positive outcome.
Chavez 3
Another positive outcome that surveillance can bring is that it can easily protect innocent parties in criminal matters, in such cases when a person is wrongfully convicted and there is a source of evidence that the government has in their surveillance as proof. Now for the cons of government surveillance (there is more negative than positive, really), first and foremost is the potential abuse of the law. This also leads to the fact that information is collected, including from people who are not criminals, stripping them of their rights to privacy.
Not only is Government Surveillance a complete invasion of a person's privacy, disguised with assurance that it is all done out of the safety of the American people but it can also put people’s life in danger. The question in everyone's mind is how can one prevent being monitored by the government? Is government surveillance legal? Can it be stopped? First of all, is it legal? Yes, or at least the collection of private phone calls are. Yet, civil liberties groups say that these actions are completely unconstitutional. Can people find a way to protect their data and personal information? “In plain English, this means that many of the tools — like TLS, used by many banks and email providers — that people worldwide have come to believe protect them from snooping by criminals and governments are essentially worthless when it comes to the NSA” (Peralta, 2013). Government surveillance cannot be stopped but one can become aware of the government's actions with their citizens personal information. Becoming aware of the things that are being done, people can protect themselves properly as best as to their ability.
they are using it for is on the back of everyone's mind. The goal of the American people is to become aware of what the government is doing with their personal information because if they cannot protect them, then who will?
.
The word surveillance derives from the french term for “looking upon”, the term encompasses not only visual observation but the scrutiny of all behavior, speech, and actions.
Government Surveillance is not something that just came about the past few years, it was officially formed on November 4, 1952 and has progressed over the years but it was when the United States was hit with terrorist attacks in 2001 was when the government began to up their surveillance on the people. The Government, alongside with the NSA (National Security Agency) stoop as low as to going through people's personal messages, phone calls, and GPS systems in order to keep a close eye on U.S. citizens. What is not taken in consideration when being invasive is that these actions can cause paranoia in the people, the government jeopardizes whatever sense of trust citizens have built around them. This type of surveillance can easily make anyone feel like they are constantly under a microscope, every single move being
monitored. Chavez 2
GPS and cellphone tracking. Facial recognition cameras. Drones that can tell if someone is armed. Digital spying. These are only a few of the technologies used by people in the law enforcement to simpletons like store owners. Simpletons like store owners are able to effortlessly get information like this. The dangers of surveillance is that a person's information can be so easily obtained easily and by anyone through some of the seemly harmless the government has to offer. How are the peoples lives so easily endangered? “...Surveillance poses is its effect on the power dynamic between the watcher and the watched. This disparity creates the risk of a variety of harms, such as discrimination, coercion, and the threat of selective enforcement, where critics of the government can be prosecuted or blackmailed for wrongdoing unrelated to the purpose of the surveillance” (Richards, 2013). Citizens can be easily be put at risk because of information that has been made so easily obtainable. What is the point of having authority such as the government of the NSA when it is them that are throwing their people into the sharks. The main danger of government surveillance is that not only can it endanger the wellbeing of the American citizens but it is a threat to our intellectual privacy. It can be used by the watcher as a weapon such as blackmail and persuasion to the person itself. How one control themselves when they are the ones being controlled.
No matter to what topic it is concerning, there is always two sides of it; the good and the bad, the pros and cons. In regards to the controversial topic of the government's surveillance of American citizens, take into consideration the pros and cons of this subject. Regarding the pros, first and foremost, some security is coming out of these programs. Whether it be something significantly large like protection from any sort of terrorist attack or something a bit minor, the NSA programs are there to protect the people of the United States. It was only last year where one of the NSA facial-recognition software helped authorities catch Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, also known as the Boston Bombers. “The idea of submitting to constant monitoring feels wrong, nearly un-American, to most of us. Cameras in the sky are the ultimate manifestation of Big Brother -- way for the government to watch you all the time, everywhere” (Kelly, 2014). Some people do not like the idea of being constantly monitored- and rightfully so- yet, in a way the watchful eye of the government can have some positive outcome.
Chavez 3
Another positive outcome that surveillance can bring is that it can easily protect innocent parties in criminal matters, in such cases when a person is wrongfully convicted and there is a source of evidence that the government has in their surveillance as proof. Now for the cons of government surveillance (there is more negative than positive, really), first and foremost is the potential abuse of the law. This also leads to the fact that information is collected, including from people who are not criminals, stripping them of their rights to privacy.
Not only is Government Surveillance a complete invasion of a person's privacy, disguised with assurance that it is all done out of the safety of the American people but it can also put people’s life in danger. The question in everyone's mind is how can one prevent being monitored by the government? Is government surveillance legal? Can it be stopped? First of all, is it legal? Yes, or at least the collection of private phone calls are. Yet, civil liberties groups say that these actions are completely unconstitutional. Can people find a way to protect their data and personal information? “In plain English, this means that many of the tools — like TLS, used by many banks and email providers — that people worldwide have come to believe protect them from snooping by criminals and governments are essentially worthless when it comes to the NSA” (Peralta, 2013). Government surveillance cannot be stopped but one can become aware of the government's actions with their citizens personal information. Becoming aware of the things that are being done, people can protect themselves properly as best as to their ability.