surveillance society

"The advantages of a 'surveillance society' far outweigh the drawbacks." To what extent do you agree or disagree with the statement?



A common viewpoint is that surveillance systems --such as CCTV cameras, finger prints, biometrics and facial recognition systems and so on-- are the most efficient way of providing and maintaining the public safety, but also recent research has suggested that this careful and close observation technology also could damage individual privacy.(Foster,2007) On one side, some have argued that life would be more inconvenient and less secure while aware of being tracked and monitored at all times with new and improved over protectionist system.(Weber,2008) On the other hand, however, with good management and a proper level of invasion of privacy, the ideal surveillance society in people's mind might be happening in the practice too. One could argue that who are those people that record, watch and check everything and also adds and demands the right to watch the watcher. Nevertheless people have to consider advantages more than surveillance society's infringes in order to provide a friendly neighbourhood.


This essay will discuss the arguments for and against surveillance society and then clarify what is known and what is unknown about surveillance and its newly created society.



-Foster,P.2007.Big Brother surveillance means no one is safe, experts warn [online] (March 27, 2007)Available at:http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article1572626.ece [Accessed 05.December.2008]


-Weber,J.2008.The privacy gap.[online](August 18, 2008)Available at:http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article4559711.ece [Accessed 04.December.2008]