Government Surveillance in America

2485 Words5 Pages

As seemingly tangible evidence of a promising and greatly developed future society, technological advancement and innovation is typically celebrated and generously compensated by our contemporaries. In fact, individuals with a remarkable technological genius are deeply respected and almost venerated for their creations. Modern technology is, undeniably, used at the advantage of the American public, as it aids not only in disburdening the general population of the inconvenience of quotidian chores and in facilitating the accessibility of luxurious commodities to the lower classes but it also encourages the progression of the globalization of our society. Naturally, the government has also begun to have ready access to the newest technology and has thus begun to implement it into domestic as well as international policies. However, recent observations by learned scholars have revealed a rather disturbing trend in the usage by government of these devices. They have discovered that instead of protecting and furthering the fundamental ideals of individual rights and limited government that are ingrained in the Constitution, our government has used technology to bypass a myriad of restrictions in surveilling common civilians--all in the name of security and efficiency. This newly-developed form of governance has been termed “The National Surveillance State.” Amongst the citizens of this country, there is a growing concern for the issue of privacy with such a pervasive form of surveillance, as they feel that they are experiencing a severe infringement on rights that they had previously considered impenetrable. In order to address these concerns, Congress must enact legislation that seeks to reconcile the government’s use of techn... ... middle of paper ... ...emen.” The New York Times. n.p., 2011. Web. 16 July 2012. Mears, Bill. “Court affirms protection of Google/NSA communications.” CNN. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., 2012. Web. 16 July 2012. Monk, Linda R. The Words We Live By: Your Annotated Guide to the Constitution. New York: Linda R. Monk and the Stonesong Press, Inc., 2003. Print. Shapiro, Ben. “Suspicionless Searches of Travelers Protect Civil Liberties.” Townhall.com. 27 July 2005. Rpt. in Privacy: Opposing Viewpoints. Ed. Jamuna Carroll. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, Inc., 2006. 47-51. Print. Sullum, Jacob. “Are you camera-ready?” Townhall. Creators Syndicate. 2002. Web. 16. July 2012. “U.S. Department of Homeland Security.” White House. n.p., n.d. Web. 10 July 2012. Westin, Alan F. Privacy and Freedom. New York: Directors of the Columbia Law Review Association, Inc., 1966. Print.

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