A complicated topic discussed in class recently was the debate between whether or not we should give up our rights to privacy in order to ensure national security. At first glance, the answer seems obvious. Of course I would chose not to give up a basic human right. Why would anyone want to give up their privacy? However, as I began to think more about the question, I found myself unable to form a solid opinion.
On One Hand:
I thought about how it would be hard to have your every move watched. Even though I, personally, like to think I’m not doing anything wrong, there is still the fear that something you do could get you in trouble without realizing. I then thought: well, some things are meant to stay private. But then I thought again about how even though it’s something you may not want everyone knowing about, it’s still not doing something wrong. This is not to say that I would ask for my internet search history to be published, but if the government were to take a look at it, it wouldn’t really matter. But there is still the worry that somehow everyone would be able to find out every little nitty gritty detail about you, which is a hard concept to wrap my head around.
On the Other Hand:
I started to think about it in terms of how much information we release about ourselves on a daily basis. On social media, we give up a lot of what’s ours to companies like Facebook. The CIA and other media sites already keep A LOT of data on the average, everyday person and this is just from what they post. Would it really be so terrible to be monitored for our security? I took this side for our class debate, even though I still consider myself undecided on the matter. I thought maybe if I took the more challenging angle, I would be able to form a solid opinion. However, I just ended up confusing myself more, because I realized there are major pros and cons on both sides.
My “Conclusion”
While I do believe giving up privacy would limit violent acts and help national security, I don’t think it would ensure it. I think it could definitely aid in preventing school shootings or terrorist attacks as many attackers plan from their computers in the privacy of their own homes. I do not think I would have anything to hide if we were to implement something like this, but still, the idea of the government knowing EVERYTHING about you, as it is described in this case, is a bit scary. Of course, it’s been likened to George Orwell’s novel 1984, which honestly terrified me when I read it. However, another novel that popped into my mind was David Eggers’ the Circle. In Eggers’ novel, society is totally transparent, and everyone can essentially watch each other. I do not think it would actually be like either of these scenarios in real life, but the thought that it could be a possibility still makes me unsure of whether or not I would actually want this implemented in our society.
So, What do you think?
Natalie Ochs
Sophie Hamptons Blog 