The popularity of city surveillance has been on the rise recently. More and more countries choose to make a stand on the usage of security cameras on the streets. However, this issue is as controversial as it is confusing. Many still don’t understand the full list of benefits and dangers that such technology can introduce to nations. Yet, it seems that most people have their strong opinions on the matter. Some claim that such a concept violates everything a democracy should be about, while others believe in the safe future due to the new surveillance technology. Overall, there is a little bit of truth in both of those statements.
However, it is not the cameras that make
people argue, but the data that they collect. In the wrong hands, such data can
lead to grave consequences. Though, where is the line between helping and
harming, and who controls the collected data? Let’s take a closer look at the
issues and see who actually monitors the data.
What is city surveillance?
So, before we move on to the further
discussion, let’s first define what city surveillance actually is, whether it’s
good and how, and mention some of the main arguments around this issue.
Overall, this is the system of video registration (security cameras) in public
places. Such cameras are installed with the sole purpose of enhancing safety
and security in those areas. Some countries are very big on city surveillance,
such as the UK, for instance, and some states in the US (mainly for road
safety, though). However, the idea of city surveillance is a controversial one.
For example, the opponents of this technology
claim that it works against democratic principles. Being constantly watched by
the government is not something people are ready to let slide without any
resistance. However, a lot is missing in such an approach, like the notion that
no one is actually watching the entire population at all times. Surely, the belief
in the opposite can cause true paranoia among many. You may even check out some
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Overall, as in many other cases, introducing
technologies into public policies comes with some resistance as any other
novelty. Yet, the city surveillance network can, indeed, help to reduce crime
and react to emergencies more urgently. Of course, such technologies should
come with a strong mechanism for legal oversight and the public's ability to
review the surveillance on demand. So, let’s see who gets to monitor and
control these cameras and when they come in handy.
Who can watch the data from the
security cameras?
So, who can watch the data from the security
cameras? To put it simply, the government should be the body to manage the
surveillance, including giving access to the data, when judicial institutions
should be the only legal body to have the right to monitor those public
cameras. The access of any third party should be authorized by legal bodies in
case there is enough evidence to share the data. However, overall, access to
this data should be limited and treated with precariousness and understanding
of its value.
Let’s also be clear here. No one is really
sitting in a dark room watching thousands upon thousands of monitors at once.
That’s not why the city surveillance is here. Instead, there are other methods
police and other legal bodies integrate city surveillance into their work
routine. For instance, in the case of lack of evidence and witnesses, cameras
can be used to document the event of a crime or the lack of such. The face
identification features available on most modern surveillance cameras can also
significantly enhance police work, yet they have the most controversy around
them. Let’s see some of the common worries people have over the safety and
usage of city surveillance data.
Is there any harm?
The data collected by the city cameras can
carry significant importance. Of course, on the one hand, it can help the
police identify criminals, find missing people or stolen cars, and much more.
Such positive usage of the collected data is undoubtedly great for the
communities, their safety, and overall well-being. However, on the other hand,
mistreatment of such data can lead to pretty dire consequences. For example,
not democratic states can use city surveillance to monitor, track, and oppress citizens of certain groups of people,
like religious or ethnic minorities.
In addition, when the control over such data
is poorly regulated, it can get to the black market, where it carries high
value among criminals and criminal organizations. In fact, the growth of the
digital black market and the value of information on it is a whole different story.
You can see some of the pay me to do your
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topic from the professionals. However, one thing is clear here. There are cases
in the world when it’s unknown who monitors the data and what value it
represents to certain people.