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Thesis 1

The document discusses the rapid advancements in surveillance technology, highlighting the ethical, legal, and social implications of tools like facial recognition and emotion-reading AI. It emphasizes the need for stronger regulations and public accountability to protect civil liberties, as current laws are inadequate to address the challenges posed by these technologies. The conclusion calls for informed policy and active citizen participation to ensure that technological progress does not infringe on basic human rights.

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16 views4 pages

Thesis 1

The document discusses the rapid advancements in surveillance technology, highlighting the ethical, legal, and social implications of tools like facial recognition and emotion-reading AI. It emphasizes the need for stronger regulations and public accountability to protect civil liberties, as current laws are inadequate to address the challenges posed by these technologies. The conclusion calls for informed policy and active citizen participation to ensure that technological progress does not infringe on basic human rights.

Uploaded by

Ronald
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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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.

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