Difference between revisions of "Surveillance Technologies"
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| − | <ref = | + | '''<big>Surveillance Technology</big>''' is the use of computer equipment to monitor people’s behaviors and actions. It is often implemented by companies and organizations in order to increase safety, efficiency, or cost-effectiveness. These technologies are growing and changing quickly in the 21st century, and this is problematic because policy regarding them is unable to keep up. These technologies are subject to misuse, as often times the subjects of surveillance are unaware they are even being monitored, which is a violation of their privacy. |
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| + | ==Types of Surveillance Technologies== | ||
| + | There are many types of surveillance technologies, which are often used in combination with one another. These technologies can be used to monitor people in public places, employees in a workplace, and even targeted individuals. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Video Surveillance=== | ||
| + | Video surveillance is one of the most commonly used and well-known surveillance technologies. Its uses vary from government monitoring of public areas that are at high risk of terrorist threats to personal surveillance of a family home. While video surveillance is meant to keep a watchful eye over an area to keep it safe, problems arise when public spaces become “blanketed” <ref>[https://www.aclu.org/issues/privacy-technology/surveillance-technologies ACLU]</ref> with video cameras, because they can be used to target certain individuals, and are subject to misuse (voyeurism). | ||
| + | Police body cameras are a tool used to oversee police actions. They have been implemented in order to combat police violence, but it is important that good policy is developed in order to ensure misuse of the technology does not occur. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Big Data=== | ||
| + | Big data is collected about individuals by corporations who construct profiles about them (data brokers). This information about their online habits and behaviors is collected to be sold to other businesses who want to know about consumers. Data mining is a violation privacy, even if the information is public because there is no context <ref>"Privacy In Context" Hellen Nissenbaum 2009</ref>. This violation can lead to targeting of vulnerable populations by large corporations. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Biometrics=== | ||
| + | Biometrics are ways to identify someone based on their physical characteristics such as fingerprints, DNA, retinas, voice, face, etc. The FBI has a “Next Generation Identification System” which is a bank of biometric information about individuals. Social media companies (Facebook facial recognition) and other technology companies (apple’s facial recognition) have also been developing and implementing these tools these tools. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Domestic Drones=== | ||
| + | Domestic drones are used in combination with other technologies to surveil people without their knowledge. Drones can be equipped with microphones, GPS tracking, infrared detection, and facial recognition to detect and track people in many different circumstances and go virtually unnoticed. This is a violation of contextual privacy because even if someone is acting a certain way in a public space, there is no context of their life included in the surveillance. This can lead to targeting of vulnerable populations. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Radio Frequency Identity (RFID) Chips=== | ||
| + | RFID chips are placed on or on physical objects to allow for contactless authentication. Examples include electronic toll collection passes, passports, and contactless entry keys, and they allow for users to be identified and tracked without their knowledge. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Stingray Tracking Devices=== | ||
| + | Stingray tracking devices are cell phone surveillance devices that act like cell towers and send out signals to cell phones to get their location and identifying information. They are often used by law enforcement in crime solving. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Benefits== | ||
| + | Surveillance technologies aid in solving crimes and can even deter criminals. They are more effective than traditional surveillance methods because they are not disrupted by distance or physical barriers and they are less labor intensive and therefore less expensive than old surveillance technologies. Data generated by surveillance technology can be shared easily, and a reduced informational friction <ref>"The 4th Revolution" Luciano Floridi 2014</ref> allows for this information to be used effectively by multiple people in a time of need. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Detriments== | ||
| + | ===Misuse=== | ||
| + | There have been incidents of security cameras being used as a tool for voyeurism, a misuse of technology implemented to protect people. Many organizations who use surveillance technology are facing legal issues. Often times, it is because subjects being monitored are completely unaware they are being tracked and watched, and they have not consented to it. Organizations often put these systems into place before they know whether they will be appropriate or useful. Agencies using these technologies must be open about their use to protect the rights of the people they are surveilling. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Effect on society=== | ||
| + | People now have the potential to be tracked online and in person, but can never be sure if they are being tracked. Because the act of turning people’s experiences into data modifies human behavior <ref>"The Age of Surveillence Capitalism" Shoshana Zuboff 2019</ref>. People might be more careful about what they search online, purchase, or what they do in public spaces. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Privacy=== | ||
| + | Humans have control over how we present ourselves based on the context we are in and what we know about our surroundings. The possibility of constant surveillance without the subject’s knowledge violates the subject’s privacy because you take away their control over how they are portrayed <ref>"Plural Selves and Relational Identity" Dean Docking 2008</ref>. The limitation theory of privacy states that privacy is the area that others cannot get to <ref>"Self-exposure and exposure of the self: informational privacy and the presentation of identity" David Shoemaker 2010</ref>, but if you’re have the potential of being constantly watched, you will never have any privacy. | ||
Revision as of 16:02, 15 March 2019
Surveillance Technology is the use of computer equipment to monitor people’s behaviors and actions. It is often implemented by companies and organizations in order to increase safety, efficiency, or cost-effectiveness. These technologies are growing and changing quickly in the 21st century, and this is problematic because policy regarding them is unable to keep up. These technologies are subject to misuse, as often times the subjects of surveillance are unaware they are even being monitored, which is a violation of their privacy.
Contents
Types of Surveillance Technologies
There are many types of surveillance technologies, which are often used in combination with one another. These technologies can be used to monitor people in public places, employees in a workplace, and even targeted individuals.
Video Surveillance
Video surveillance is one of the most commonly used and well-known surveillance technologies. Its uses vary from government monitoring of public areas that are at high risk of terrorist threats to personal surveillance of a family home. While video surveillance is meant to keep a watchful eye over an area to keep it safe, problems arise when public spaces become “blanketed” [1] with video cameras, because they can be used to target certain individuals, and are subject to misuse (voyeurism). Police body cameras are a tool used to oversee police actions. They have been implemented in order to combat police violence, but it is important that good policy is developed in order to ensure misuse of the technology does not occur.
Big Data
Big data is collected about individuals by corporations who construct profiles about them (data brokers). This information about their online habits and behaviors is collected to be sold to other businesses who want to know about consumers. Data mining is a violation privacy, even if the information is public because there is no context [2]. This violation can lead to targeting of vulnerable populations by large corporations.
Biometrics
Biometrics are ways to identify someone based on their physical characteristics such as fingerprints, DNA, retinas, voice, face, etc. The FBI has a “Next Generation Identification System” which is a bank of biometric information about individuals. Social media companies (Facebook facial recognition) and other technology companies (apple’s facial recognition) have also been developing and implementing these tools these tools.
Domestic Drones
Domestic drones are used in combination with other technologies to surveil people without their knowledge. Drones can be equipped with microphones, GPS tracking, infrared detection, and facial recognition to detect and track people in many different circumstances and go virtually unnoticed. This is a violation of contextual privacy because even if someone is acting a certain way in a public space, there is no context of their life included in the surveillance. This can lead to targeting of vulnerable populations.
Radio Frequency Identity (RFID) Chips
RFID chips are placed on or on physical objects to allow for contactless authentication. Examples include electronic toll collection passes, passports, and contactless entry keys, and they allow for users to be identified and tracked without their knowledge.
Stingray Tracking Devices
Stingray tracking devices are cell phone surveillance devices that act like cell towers and send out signals to cell phones to get their location and identifying information. They are often used by law enforcement in crime solving.
Benefits
Surveillance technologies aid in solving crimes and can even deter criminals. They are more effective than traditional surveillance methods because they are not disrupted by distance or physical barriers and they are less labor intensive and therefore less expensive than old surveillance technologies. Data generated by surveillance technology can be shared easily, and a reduced informational friction [3] allows for this information to be used effectively by multiple people in a time of need.
Detriments
Misuse
There have been incidents of security cameras being used as a tool for voyeurism, a misuse of technology implemented to protect people. Many organizations who use surveillance technology are facing legal issues. Often times, it is because subjects being monitored are completely unaware they are being tracked and watched, and they have not consented to it. Organizations often put these systems into place before they know whether they will be appropriate or useful. Agencies using these technologies must be open about their use to protect the rights of the people they are surveilling.
Effect on society
People now have the potential to be tracked online and in person, but can never be sure if they are being tracked. Because the act of turning people’s experiences into data modifies human behavior [4]. People might be more careful about what they search online, purchase, or what they do in public spaces.
Privacy
Humans have control over how we present ourselves based on the context we are in and what we know about our surroundings. The possibility of constant surveillance without the subject’s knowledge violates the subject’s privacy because you take away their control over how they are portrayed [5]. The limitation theory of privacy states that privacy is the area that others cannot get to [6], but if you’re have the potential of being constantly watched, you will never have any privacy.- ↑ ACLU
- ↑ "Privacy In Context" Hellen Nissenbaum 2009
- ↑ "The 4th Revolution" Luciano Floridi 2014
- ↑ "The Age of Surveillence Capitalism" Shoshana Zuboff 2019
- ↑ "Plural Selves and Relational Identity" Dean Docking 2008
- ↑ "Self-exposure and exposure of the self: informational privacy and the presentation of identity" David Shoemaker 2010
