Technology and the Invasion of Privacy Snatchers
Dec
6
Written by:
2011-12-06T13:40:41
On February 5th, 1956, a science fiction movie titled "Invasion of the Bódy Snatchers" was released in the US. The movie is about a small-town doctor who discovers that the population of his community is being systematically replaced by emotionless alien duplicates.
Fast forward to today, and life is imitating art, with a real life version of Invasion of the Bódy Snatchers being played out. But it's not just happening in one small town. It's happening in cities and towns all across America. Only it's not bodies that are systematically being snatched, it's our individual right to privacy.
Where's Waldo?
"If you win this case, then there is nothing to prevent the police or the government from monitoring 24 hours a day, the public movement of every citizen of the United States." Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer
I just read a disturbing article on the BBC News website titled How Much Privacy Can Smartphone Owners Expect?
Among other things, the article discusses how The US Supreme Court could soon make a ruling allowing police to monitor the movements of US mobile phone users without a warrant - which legitimately begs the question, now that most of us carry sophisticated tracking devices in our pockets, how much privacy do we have a right to expect?
Because if authorities get their way, they won't have to ask "Where's Waldo?" They'll know exactly where he is, because they'll be monitoring his smartphone.
The Erosion Of Privacy In America
As American citizens, we have the constitutional right not to be subjected to unsanctioned invasion of privacy by individuals, government or corporations. And while those rights are supposed to be protected by the constitution, the truth of the matter is, the erosion of our privacy has been occurring for decades.
And it hasn't been occurring in a vacuum either. The media has been reporting on invasion of privacy stories for as long as I can remember. In fact, I distinctly remember a huge media story from twenty years ago about a government agency that used thermal imaging devices to locate a marijuana growing operation in Oregon.
On January, 27, 1992, Oregon authorities arrested a man named Danny Lee Kyllo, who was tried and convicted of illegally growing marijuana. Authorities located the marijuana by placing thermal imaging devices outside of Kyllo's home. However, in 2001 in Kyllo v. United States (533 U.S. 27), the conviction was overturned because it was decided that the use of thermal imaging devices that can reveal previously unknown information without a warrant does indeed constitute a violation of privacy. (Source: Wikipedia)
Warrantless Surveillance
After the 9/11 attacks, Congress passed the Patriot Act, which granted the President broad powers to fight a war against terrorism. The George W. Bush administration used these powers to bypass the FISA court and directed the NSA to spy directly on al Qaeda in a new NSA (National Security Agency) electronic surveillance program. Reports at the time indicate that an "apparently accidental" "glitch" resulted in the interception of communications that were purely domestic in nature. This action was challenged by a number of groups, including Congress, as unconstitutional. Disappointingly, the Obama Administration has continued using these controversial surveillance methods. (Source: Wikipedia)
The ACLU Speaks Out
In anticipation of the upcoming Supreme Court ruling on the aforementioned United States vs Jones, GPS tracking case, Arthur Spitzer, legal director of the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) in Washington, D.C., said the Supreme Court should uphold the Fourth Amendment and protect private lives against the invasion of government probing.
"The court should apply those values so that as technology becomes more and more powerful, those values can be preserved, not erased," Spitzer said. "If the Fourth Amendment is to have any continuing meaning, we think the court needs to recognize that just because technology makes something possible, it doesn't mean it should be allowed."
Spitzer added that the case will have "strong implications" on whether or not the government needs a warrant to track people using their cell phones. (Source: Homeland Security Newswire)
I'd like to focus your attention on one sentence in particular in the above statement:
"If the Fourth Amendment is to have any continuing meaning, we think the court needs to recognize that just because technology makes something possible, it doesn't mean it should be allowed."
That one sentence makes the case for preserving the Fourth Amendment about as well as it can be made.
Where's The Outrage?
But where's the outrage over the continued erosion of our privacy? Where are the demonstrations in Washington and in front of the White House?
Since September, Occupy Wall Street (OWS) has been taking its anger to the streets, with a grassroots movement and demonstrations worldwide, protesting corporate greed and the financial inequity that exists between Wall Street and Main Street. And there is evidence the movement is working. OWS recently forced Bank of America to nix its proposed $5 a month debit fee. Several other major banks quickly followed suit, announcing they too will nix planned debit fees and other exorbitant surcharges. Demonstrating once again, the squeaky wheel does indeed get the oil.
Unfortunately, there is no squeaky wheel - no organized protests for the blatant and relentless violation of our Fourth Amendment rights.
Sadly, with very few exceptions, when it comes to fighting for our individual rights and freedoms, we are as passive as a flock of sheep. And unless and until that changes, authorities will continue to think they can simply trample on our freedoms without any consequences. Because as things stand right now, they can.
The Power Of Technology
TV shows like Forensic Files and CSI demonstrate the tremendous power and potential of technology in law enforcement. I am absolutely fascinated by how scientists are able to solve crimes with DNA evidence, animal hairs and insect larvae. It's nothing short of amazíng!
About The Author
David Jackson is a marketing consultant, and the owner of Free-Marketing-Tips-Blog.com - Powerful, free marketing tips to help grow your business!