Mohammad Amaan
Prof
Course Name
April 6th, 2025
Surveillance in The Digital Era
There have been drastic changes in the methods and techniques used by individuals,
societies, or nations to gather and analyse data owing to the advancement of surveillance
technology. The security cameras and tracking cookies that we have today are now replaced
with emotional reading AI, intricate data gathering systems that surpass the five senses, and
facial recognition technology. Such developments alongside facial recognition and emotion-
reading AI poses new threats to personal privacy that were unimaginable before. New
policies are needed to maintain ethical civil liberties. This paper advocates for policies stating
that societal debates and legislation need to be more prominent regarding the uncontrolled
development of surveillance technologies due to their ethical, legal, and social implications.
The issues surrounding the development of artificial intelligence systems that detect and
interpret non-verbal cues such as heartbeats, body language, and even brain signals is
discussed in Hutson’s article “Beyond the Five Senses.” According to Hutson, while
commendable, these emerging technologies pose troubling issues in regard to consent and
surveillance. When a retail establishment uses artificial intelligence (AI) to ascertain a
customer's emotional state without the customer's knowledge, for instance, the fundamental
principle of informed consent is violated. Science fiction is no longer the only setting in
which these technologies are employed; they are now utilized in daily life with little
oversight, leaving them open to manipulation and misuse.
In the face of worrying implications, Hutson and Raviv are on the same page. Raviv, in his
investigative piece “The Secret History of Facial Recognition,” brings to light the lack of
regulation surrounding facial recognition software. He recounts the story of Clearview AI, a
company that unscrupulously amassed billions of social media photos without user consent
and used them to build a powerful facial recognition database. The absence of public due
process and judicial oversight regarding the use of the software by law enforcement poses
serious risks to mass surveillance. Raviv also highlights the impact this has on civil liberties
as people stop going out or begin self-censoring due to the possibility of being watched.
The hints of these technologies can create a range of issues. The scope of AI-powered
surveillance falls outside the boundaries of existing laws on privacy and discrimination. The
use of emotion-detecting cameras and biometric identity measures was not contemplated
when the Fourth Amendment came about to restrict unjustified searches and seizures. There
is, therefore, the need for courts and legislators to examine current policies to determine their
relevance. Although some steps have been made by the GDPR in the EU to address these
concerns, in the US, there is no comprehensive federal privacy legislation at the moment.
Americans are exposed to intrusive surveillance methods because of this legislative gap.
Moreover, surveillance might result in a culture of acceptance where people inadvertently
relinquish their privacy for simple convenience. Efficiency and safety have given justification
to increasingly use facial recognition technology in shopping malls, airports, and even
schools. Such everlasting monitoring can be psychologically detrimental over a period of
time. Studies show increased levels of stress, reduced creativity, and lowered democratic
engagement due to surveillance. In essence, people tend to restrain themselves from
expressing their opinions freely when they think they are being observed, which is
detrimental to the very essence of free societies.
To mitigate these dangers, stronger regulations based on public accountability and consent
should be prioritized. Independent oversight bodies should be established by the state to
monitor the application of surveillance mediums, while technologies must be made to
disclose data collection, retention, and usage guidelines. Public campaigns aimed at
empowering people to advocate for their privacy erosion enable individuals to make informed
decisions regarding their privacy and digital footprint.
Some argue that surveillance technologies are vital in preventing crime and securing a
nation, which tend to oppose the implemented surveillance methods. As helpful as these tools
are in detecting potential threats, they still must be used responsibly. There must be a balance
between preserving civil liberties and public safety. The absence of checks and balances on
surveillance is damaging to public confidence in institutions and sets a dangerous precedent.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the rapid advancement of surveillance technology has advantages and
disadvantages. While improving the level of security and efficiency, unchecked advancement
poses a threat to civil liberty and privacy. Society must ensure that progress does not infringe
on basic human rights by, for instance, taking inspiration from investigative reporting like
that done by Hutson and Raviv. Only informed policy, open governance, and active citizen
participation help address the complications of surveillance in modern society.
Works Cited
Hutson, Matthew. "Beyond the Five Senses Telepathy, Echolocation, and the Future of
Perception." The Atlantic (2017).
Raviv, Shaun. "The Secret History Of Facial Recognition: Sixty years ago, a Sharecropper's
son invented a technology to identify faces. Then the record of his role all but vanished. Who
was Woody Bledsoe, and who was he working for?." Wired 28.2 (2020): 56-65.
