WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT NOT TO HAVE SUCH TIGHT SURVEILLANCE OVER US?
There is a real contradiction when it comes to our surveillance culture. Nobody in their right mind wants to be a victim of crime, I certainly don't. We want to feel safe, but we also want to feel free, with autonomy over what we think and do.
The problem comes when the reasons given for bringing in each type of surveillance are changed, by the people we have elected to govern us.
The motivations for the introduction of CCTV was to monitor traffic, now they are to combat terrorism, and solve 'social problems'.
If the government has said they are bringing in biometric systems for passport control, for example, is it possible to construct mechanisms that will stop those details from being used for any other reasons?
I think that it is possible that surveillance techniques which are brought in for entirely appropriate and legitimate reasons could be used for manipulation, when used in conjuction with all the other information held on a single individual.
I really believe that it is important in society for people to have the choice and the chance to deviate from the norm, as this is how I think society is able to grow and progress. If your every move is monitored as a potential criminal, where is the presumption of innocence?
The government should be accountable and work for us, not us have to account for ourselves and fit into a nationally prescribed behaviour pattern. I have the right to be able to say I don't like something, in any way I chose to, that is not a right that the government should be able to take from me.
The surveillance culture is huge, and growing, it will be impossible to limit or stop when none of us have the choice to disobey.
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