Privacy
Privacy refers to a situation in which an individual is free from any sort of disturbance from people. It also describes a state of an individual practicing his or her personality freely. Privacy breach involves the act of a person accessing information of another without permission and using it wrongly. Privacy plays a crucial role in advancing one’s autonomy (Edelbach and Winston, 234). It enables individuals to advance in their daily activities, which do not require public attention. A breach of privacy siphons an individual’s ability to live independently. Privacy is also crucial in terms of social relations. The restrictions imposed by the right of privacy enable a diverse group of people to live harmoniously, enabling individuals to maintain good social relations among themselves.
Taylor’s argument on surveillance
Many authors such as Stanley and Steinhardt argue in opposition to the advanced use of surveillance. According to Stanley and Steinhardt, the rising use of surveillance denies individuals their right to confidentiality (Edelbach and Winston, 236). However, some authors such as James Taylor support the advancement made in the field of surveillance. According to Taylor, individuals opt to pay great consideration to matters of security. Currently, the level of insecurity is very high in the world; cases pertaining to terrorism are ever reported in many countries. Thus, according to Taylor it is crucial for nations to advance their level of surveillance.
According to Taylor, the government’s act of watching over its citizens and accessing their information cannot be regarded as a breach of privacy. Taylor argues that privacy can only be breached when the collected information is used for the wrong purpose. Moreover, the collection of information by authorized organizations plays a significant role in the observance and maintenance of the state’s security. The collected information by authorized organizations aid in crucial social issues such as preventing crimes and minimizing the efforts put in extracting information from reluctant witnesses. Taylor states that, despite surveillance going against citizens’ freedom, the acceptable application of surveillance increases citizens’ chances of being safe and promotes their self-independence and privacy.
Importance of surveillance
To my opinion, Taylor is right. Uses of surveillance increases citizen’s safety and promotes moral accepted standards by enhancing reduction of crimes, encouraging observance of law, discouraging corruption, and promoting social codes of conducts.
Surveillance contributes immensely towards the reduction of crimes in states. The use of satellites plays a significant role in reducing terrorism, they enable security managements to detect illegal acts of terrorists in advance, thus promoting calmness, serenity and order. The high-security observance also assists in lowering cases such as highway hijacking of drivers and pedestrians; surveillance enables close monitoring of events that take place on the roads. Extensive use of surveillance cameras in large retail shops such as supermarkets helps in eradicating cases of shoplifting, the cameras provide a wide field of view of the activities that take place within the retail shops. In other cases, companies and organizations attach electronic tags to their products and properties. Electronic tags play a significant role in eradicating theft cases. The positioning of surveillance cameras outside shops and companies also aid in capturing burglars, hence reducing theft cases in a state.
Surveillance has boosted the traffic sector; it monitors daily activities that take place on roads. Road users tend to break rules and regulations that govern traffic sectors. They engage in activities such as overspeeding, use of un-roadworthy vehicles, overloading and carrying excess passengers, evading checkpoints, and neglecting traffic lights. Victims of such crimes try to go scot-free when confronted by security officers by using bribes. However, extensive use of surveillance has significantly minimized such ill behaviors on the roads.
Surveillance has contributed significantly towards combating corruption. For a long time, corruption has been practiced in public offices and other institutions. Many people also used corruption as a shortcut in getting favors and positions they did not deserve. The use of surveillance, however, has contributed positively towards fighting and eradicating this vice. Currently, the use of CCTV cameras in organizations, companies and offices has aided in reducing corruption. The use of surveillance enables right and deserving individuals to be placed in appropriate positions proving the surveillance morality.
Surveillance has also played a vital role in promoting moral uprightness by ensuring high societal observing of acceptable codes of conduct. Prostitution and the use of drugs are some of the issues that promoted social decay. Nevertheless, surveillance denies individuals chances of engaging in such activities. Thus, the use of surveillance encourages observance of high moral conduct.
Conclusion
To a great extent, Taylor’s views concerning the morality of surveillance prove true. This is evident in success observed in law enforcement, crime reduction, combating corruption, and in individuals upholding high social codes of conduct. Despite its moral privilege, surveillance proves inappropriate in some areas. This includes the right to privacy of individuals; it bars individuals from enjoying their personal space. Surveillance has also led to the reduction of creativity, the majority of innovative individuals like working privately. Additionally, an increase in surveillance has also contributed to an increase in crimes in some areas; some of the criminals have invented new ways of committing crimes.
Work Cited
Edelbach, Ralph and Winston, Morton. Society, Ethics, and Technology. New York: Cengage Learning. Print.