The Digital Dilemma: Balancing Privacy and Security

In a fast-digitizing world, privacy has become a highly polarizing topic. In this day and age, privacy is a luxury and with the increasing global connectivity through the internet and social media, many of us forego our privacy of our own free will. So, is it really shocking when we find out that our personal information is being treated as a commodity and being sold to third-party organizations? This era of social media influencers has impacted a lot of people and encouraged them into sharing more about their own lives with the world. Obviously, with the advantages of the internet and social media, there are downsides as well. The threats online, grow ever more dangerous. Our digital footprint not only leaves our credit card information and etc vulnerable but now also leaves us vulnerable to our location being exposed and other personal details like details of our family members, our daily routines, the places we frequent and so much more.

So, the dilemma is that while private companies collect our data and treat it as a commodity and that data often goes through processes and sales to marketing agencies and companies that are quite unreliable and shady and while cyber-criminals target you on the internet and put you under surveillance, is it wrong on the part of our governments to conduct surveillance to ensure the security of their citizens, combat crime and protect national security?

The intersectionality of digital privacy, government-sanctioned surveillance, and the security of person and state is a vastly complex issue. With the increasing importance of digital technologies in our lives, the protection of our personal data and maintaining privacy have become more crucial than ever before. But at the same time, governments worldwide are grappling with the challenge of ensuring national security while respecting the freedom and rights of their citizens.

One of the biggest concerns with government surveillance is the abuse of power. While it is crucial that governments take measures to protect national security and the safety of their citizens, the possibility of data being misused to deal with political dissent, restrict freedom of speech, and monitor and discriminate against certain groups is very real. In 2013, when Edward Snowden came forward as a whistleblower and leaked highly classified information from the National Security Agency that showed the world that the NSA has been spying on not only US citizens but also on individuals around the world via PRISM which involved using data from several major technology companies, including Google, Facebook, and Microsoft which allowed the government to collect data on users’ communications, including emails, chat messages, and video calls. The NSA was also collecting phone records of millions of Americans including phone numbers, time and duration of calls, and other metadata and this was found to be illegal and unconstitutional. The US government was also found to be guilty of tapping into undersea internet cables to monitor internet traffic and communications.

Similarly in China, citizens are placed under even greater surveillance, and unlike in the US, Chinese surveillance was common knowledge to its citizens. Through the Great Firewall of China, the government controls everything their citizens can see, and they can monitor everything they do on the internet as well. China uses facial recognition technology to monitor its citizens in public spaces such as train stations, airports, and shopping malls. This technology is also used to identify and track individuals involved in protests or other forms of civil disobedience. They use this system in their social credit scheme as well where they assign their citizens’ social scores based on their monitored behavior which can affect their access to opportunities and services. The Chinese government has been accused of using mass surveillance to monitor and control ethnic minority groups such as the Uighurs in Xinjiang province. This includes the use of facial recognition technology and the collection of biometric data.

The tension between privacy and security is not new but technology has made it more pervasive and efficient. The key takeaways from the research study “The Ethics of Surveillance: An Introduction” by Kevin Macnish (2014) state that different types of surveillance raise different ethical concerns and the use of surveillance technology should be justified by a legitimate objective and the process should be clear and transparent. He also stated that public debate and participation are essential for determining the scope of surveillance and its ethical implications.

In conclusion, the intersectionality of digital privacy, government surveillance, and security of person and state is a complex and multifaceted issue that requires careful consideration and balancing of competing interests. While it is important for governments to take measures to ensure national security, it is equally important to protect individual rights and freedoms, including the right to privacy and protection from discrimination. The development of effective policies and regulations that address these concerns is crucial in order to ensure a safe and free society for all.

By: Omer Hayat