Figueroa 1

Maria Figueroa
English 113B
Prof. Derohanessian
March 23, 2015
Surveillance
It is unbelievable, but true that surveillance is constantly held in our lives today. We live in
a society where apparently we are not alone and where privacy does not exist anymore. The
article Surveillance cant make us secure by Julian Sanchez says that individuals do not have
their own privacy because the government tends to access their information. For example,
Sanchez says that in October 26, 2001 the United States passed the Patriot Act. This act allows
the government to monitor everything from e-mails, medical records, library accounts, calls etc.
Government is constantly keeping an eye on us, we are literally being watched. Moreover, in the
book 1984 George Orwell warned us about government controlling individuals actions, he
provides examples on how surveillance plays a key role in the novel. Surveillance is not a good
idea because it allows government and many other companies to have certain control over us.
For example, in 1984 Orwell shows a world in which the people are under the control of the
government through surveillance, which makes them to behave at a certain way. In addition,
Surveillance is not a benefit for us because it gives government the power to control us and we
are exposed to be easily tracked, watched and can caused identity theft.
Individuals can easily be tracked. Technology has increased in many ways and it gives
government the opportunity to track individual. According to the article Industry SelfRegulation, Not Government Intervention, Is the Best Way to Protect Consumers from Data

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Attacks by William Saito the twentieth century gave rise to the internet which made it easier for
the government to control individuals lives. Sometimes we go on the internet believing that no
one is able to see what we do and what websites we visit, but that is not true because behind the
screen is the government. For example, when people visit a website or creates an account and
accept the terms and conditions are allowing that source and government to obtain their
information (Sanchez 1). People who access the internet are branded with a code just as in the
1984. Also, Facebook, twitter, and yahoo apps require you to provide them your important
information; name, address, birth date, cell phone number etc. By individuals providing all this
information, they can easily be tracked because even though we are the account holder there is
always a second individual tracking our information. In addition, when we post a photo, send
emails or chat with people they can easily find out our location since our phones automatically
have the location services (Sanchez2). Also, sometimes people delete things that they dont
want to have in their accounts and they think that just because is no longer in their account it was
deleted. In reality nothing can be deleted from the internet, once is there, and stays there.
(Sanchez2). In the other hand we have the book 1984 where George Orwells talks about how
surveillance is a powerful mechanism used by the party. According to Orwell the citizens of
Oceania are constantly under a microscope. They are always watched and their lives are always
control. For instance, there were posters of Big Brother everywhere which literally means that
he was keeping an eye on individuals. They couldnt do anything because they always thought of
Big brother is watching you (1984 PG 2). Our way of living now is closely related to the way
individuals were living in Oceania because our movements, actions and words are being captured
just as theirs.

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Every place we visit and everywhere we go, we are being watched. Cameras play an
important role in keeping our society under surveillance. For example, owners of many places
always have cameras on the exterior and interior of their properties. Sanchez states that cameras
are installed because they are used to prevent criminal activities, and to maintain the place
secured. However, many owners of the property do not put a sign to warn people of their
surveillance, and there are cases where their surveillance system is hidden from people so they
wont know if they are being recorded or not. In addition, the way we are being watched, and
recorded with the cameras relates on how the party was keeping an eye on the citizens of
Oceania. For instance, there was always a tele-screen on, that was receiving and transmitting
simultaneously any sound that Winston and individuals would make (Orwell pg4). Everything
was captured regardless of the time and date. Also, in the 1984 there was of course no way of
knowing whether you were being watched or heard at any moment you did not know how
often or on what system the Thought Police plugged in on any individual ( Orwell4). Moreover,
this process of surveillance in our society and surveillance also relates to Michel Foucault
system. For example, the gaze is alert everywhere, there is always someone keeping an eye on
individuals behavior in the town (Foucault1). In addition, Foucault mention that there were good
officers guards at the gates, at town hall and in every quarter to ensure the prompt obedience of
the people (1). This definitely emphasis how surveillance was conducted in the Town that
Foucault mentions. Individuals in the town did not have their own freedom nor privacy because
there was always someone keeping track of what they were doing. Foucault also says at the
periphery, an annular building; at the center, a tower, where someone usually stands to see what
the prisoners are doing (Foucault 1). The tower has two windows, one on the inside,
corresponding to the windows of the tower and the other, on the outside. This tower allows the

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light to cross the cell from one end to the other it allows the supervisors who is in the center of
the tower supervising to observe everything (Foucault 3). The supervisor is able to observe every
single movement of the individuals. The tower makes it possible for them to see constantly and
to recognize anything immediately. Furthermore, the Bank is a space that tends to be controlling
people. There are cameras everywhere recording our behaviors and at the same time invading our
privacy because all what we do at that particular moment is being watched. It is uncomfortable
because we are forced to behave in a certain way just like individuals in 1984, since we already
know that extra vigilance going on at that place.
Surveillance is not beneficial because can provoke identity theft. Government is constantly
collecting information from us, and most of them include our personal information. Not only
that, but private companies are also doing the same as the government. So, we have no assurance
that the information is secured. For example, Saito states that even common documents such as
licenses, passports, and payment cards that we carry around with us contain RFID radiofrequency identification chips (pg2). All these sensors are constantly busy, collecting and
transmitting our personal information to other devices, often without our knowledge. In addition,
every time such information is transmitted and received, there is a very real risk that the data
may be intercepted by people other than those for whom it was originally intended (Saito2).
This can caused our identity and personal information to be stolen by other individuals.
Moreover, this relates to 1984 because Winston was in charge of falsifying and altering the past,
and even to change peoples names so their information would make sense. This relates in the
sense that he would pick any name and the information of that individual would be use. Also, I
remember one day that my sister got a call were she was informed that her credit card was used
on an online purchase at target. She did not buy anything there, so she got scared and called to

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the Bank. The purchase appeared in the statement, it was s purchase that she never did. The bank
found out that her account number was used by someone else, but no one found out how her
account information got to the other individuals hands. So having other people to have access to
our personal information its dangerous because it can affect us.
Although I believe Surveillance is not beneficial for us, many people believe that it is
essential and important in our society. For example, Jim Rickards says in the article 5 Reasons
Why The NSA's Massive Surveillance Program Is No Big Deal (And 2 Reasons It Is)
surveillance is a benefit because it is an important tool to fight terrorism. Also, some people
believe that it is needed to keep track of individuals. The government believes that by having a
society under surveillance, the security of individuals will increase. In my opinion Surveillance
is just affecting peoples privacy and we all need the privacy in our daily life. In addition, even
Winston in 1984 that privacy was a valuable thing (pg144).
Overall, Surveillance plays an important role in our Society, 1984, and Foucaults article as
well. Today, we are not having privacy since our information is being shared with the
government and individuals. Also, everywhere we go, there are cameras keeping an eye on us,
just like individuals in Oceania were being watched by the tele screen and tower was capturing
individuals movement like Foucault mentioned. To sum it up, surveillance is not a good idea
because our privacy is invaded and our important information is not safe.

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Work cited
Foucault, Michel. Discipline and Punish 1975. New York. Vintage Books. 1977. Print.
Francis, David. "5 Reasons Why The NSA's Massive Surveillance Program Is No Big Deal (And
2 Reasons It Is)." Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc, 11 June 2013. Web. 24 Mar.
2015.
Sanchez, Julian. "Surveillance Can't Make Us Secure." The Nation (15 Feb. 2010). Rpt. in Civil
Liberties. Ed. Nol Merino. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2013. Opposing Viewpoints.
Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 25 Mar. 2015.
Saito, William H. "Industry Self-Regulation, Not Government Intervention, Is the Best Way to
Protect Consumers from Data Attacks." Cybercrime. Ed. Louise I. Gerdes. Detroit:
Greenhaven Press, 2013. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "Our Naked Data." Futurist
45.4 (July 2011). Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 25 Mar. 2015.

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