The Government Surveillance In The Puppet Master

The government using surveillance is a necessary tool for the protection of the physical well-being of its citizens and to maintain law and order. In the Codebreaker, one of the main characters, the Puppet Master, uses surveillance to his advantage. He has the edge on the protagonists in the story because he is always one step ahead due to his cameras and gadgets. This is relative to the government's use of surveillance devices to prevent large-scale terrorist attacks or even a misdemeanor such as running a traffic light. Surveillance is used in international transportations hubs such as airports and on a local level in schools and restaurants. The government's constant observation of its citizens is necessary to maintain order, ensure public
safety, and protect the population from terrorist attack. The United States Government collects an assortment of digital video, sound data, and electronic information used by its citizens. The population must give up a small degree of freedom to maintain its safety. According to the NSA, “There is no way to predict in advance which crucial piece of data will be the key to revealing a potential plot,” (3). This means that even a simple email or text message could mean the difference in preventing an attack, or tremendous loss of life. The federal government monitors electronic data such as web searches or credit card transactions to identify potential threats. Although this is a large part of the NSA’s data collection protocol, there are many other ways surveillance is used to protect the American people.
Surveillance is used on the local level to ensure public safety, including cameras at traffic lights, in public schools and shopping centers, or police and emergency service vehicles.
In The Codebreaker, The Puppet Master describes how much money the government spends on surveillance technology. “Wow, they really have made a mess of the professor’s classroom. All that electronic equipment-computer, detection devices, all sorts of wiring and gadgets. I hope no one trips and breaks anything. The government has a tendency to overspend when it comes to its toys,” (Petry 6). In this quote the Puppet Master uses his sarcastic tone to critique the government for its excessive spending. Though they spend large amounts of money on technology every years, most of it is beneficial to the protection of the American people. Cameras at traffic lights are used to enforce laws and monitor traffic patterns, but can also be used to track fugitives or protect citizens involved in traffic collisions. Public schools use surveillance to monitor secure areas and protect the safety of students. Surveillance has also been used to keep students safe by placing schools on lockdown when suspicious individuals have trespassed on their campus. Police dash-cam video has been used in court to protect the rights of citizens wrongfully accused of crimes by the police. These are examples of how surveillance is used to protect law abiding citizens from criminals and from tyranny of the
government. The 9/11 attacks on the United States have increased awareness and surveillance in densely populated areas around the country. According to Adam Liptak from the New York Times, “The Patriot Act undeniably expanded the government’s surveillance powers and the scope of some criminal laws,” (Liptak 2). Laws such as “The Patriot Act” were passed to protect against further attacks on the American people and made law enforcement more mindful of the possibility of domestic attacks. Surveillance is a helpful tool to have but cannot always prevent the loss of life. The government’s surveillance techniques are necessary to uphold law and order in the country, guarantee public safety for the people, and protect the American people from terrorism. The use of technology to observe suspicious activity is seen around the country and in heavily densely populated areas. It is used to enforce laws and keep citizens out of harm’s way. This is similar to the way the Puppet Master used surveillance and technology to stay one step ahead of Tanner and her team. The government’s use of surveillance is an essential tool for the safety and security of the American citizens.