The Privacy Debate – Surveillance in Canada

Of course we all know the catalyst for the huge increase in surveillance that happened in the USA, Canada and the majority of the Western World – the 9/11 terrorist attacks.  But now we can actually analyse the threat in a more dispassionate way the increasing lack of privacy is becoming an important issue for citizens.

Privacy has often been described as an important foundation of Liberal democracy and there are many who are concerned that by increasing surveillance that we are actually eroding that political ideal.  Certainly the extent to which we are monitored is now much higher than it has ever been unless perhaps you were unfortunate enough to have lived under the watchful eyes of the Stasi or KGB.  The question is – can it be justified?  What really is the motivation behind this sort of extensive monitoring.

It’s not just Governments of course, every time you use a computer on  the internet, then firms and data companies are tracking everything you do online.  Their’s has a commercial bias of course but they are still creating online profiles of every person who uses the internet through their web usage, sites they visit, ads they click and even their social networking information.

It’s not surprising that websites like http://www.anonymous-proxies.org/ which provide information, advice and news on privacy and anonymity online are becoming more popular.  The reality is that people are beginning to be threatened by excessive surveillance when their lives slowly begin to resemble George Orwell’s famous novel – 1984.

Of course the question is – what is the payoff ? Does surveillance produce enough benefits to balance out this loss of privacy?  In my opinion, and it is just my opinion – it doesn’t even come close.  For example the above website reviews a computer software that is able to encrypt everything you do online.  Those people are instantly protected from the vast majority of covert surveillance – it is probably likely a terrorist would take similar precautions.  The obvious danger is that you end up only monitoring those who don’t mind being watched or worse are not aware they’re being watched.

There has been huge investment by most Governments across the world in the technologies to watch our movements both off and online.  I suggest there has been substantially less in procedures and protocols for using this information.  There are some hugely important issues and concerns with how and when this information is used.

. anonymity, liberal democracy, privacy,