Martinez1

Ricardo Martinez

Ms.Alcaraz Per.6

English 11B

21 May 2018

The Argument for Government Surveillance

54% of Americans disapprove of government surveillance while 42% approve of the

program. Government surveillance is the close observation of phone and internet data as part of

anti-terrorism efforts. Pervasive is spreading widely throughout an area or a group of people.

China has a history of pervasive government surveillance in their country. Their citizens should

not be surprised about what China is trying to do. Their country is pervasive with their

surveillance and are heading even further. Government surveillance keeps people safe, helps the

government gather information to help fight against terrorist attacks, and can be used to in the

long run to better understand other aspects of society.

Pervasive government surveillance keeps people safe. Maya Wang explains, “Recent

reporting reveals authorities’ aspirations’ to enable facial recognition through upgraded

cameras…”(Wang). This new facial recognition software can be of great importance in finding

criminals on the loose. Also, installing and maintaining these cameras is a “multimillion-dollar

project” says Wang. Investing this much money into their technological advances will help the

Chinese in the embetterment of their safety. Government surveillance can only bring safety

among the Chinese, especially pervasive surveillance.

Government surveillance expresses safety and protection. Many people argue that

government surveillance is useless. For example, the main argument presented in the article

“Government Surveillance and Academic Thought Police Are Taking Us to 1984”, by

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Foundation Free Education is: Government surveillance is not useful and unnecessary. People

argue, “ … there is little evidence that… surveillance… have caught or prevented terrorists in

any significant number”(FFE). However, John R. Quain refutes this argument by showing that

government surveillance keeps people safe. Quain argues, “ … restrictions on Internet freedom

… are necessary to protect intellectual property rights, prevent cyberespionage, fight child

pornagraphy…”(Quain). Basically, government surveillance is the key to public safety.

Terrorism, child pornagraphy and cyber espionage are threats that need to be stopped and

government surveillance is the solution. Government surveillance can put a stop to these

problems and if we end government surveillance, it can mean national catastrophe.

Government surveillance helps the government gather information to help fight against

terrorist attacks. Ron Nixon of the New York Times writes in his article “Watch List Shields

T.S.A. Screeners From Threatening, and Unruly, Travelers” , “ The [TSA] has created a new

secret watch list to monitor… potential threats at airport checkpoints…”(Nixon). The T.S.A.

created a new watch list so they can identify people who are targeted as potential threats. This is

extremely smart on their part because if anyone suspicious goes to the airport, they will be

flagged and the T.S.A. knows to look out for them on future occasions. In another section of the

article Nixon states, “According to the directive, people who loiter suspiciously near security

checkpoints could be put on the watch list”(Nixon). This is a step toward terrorism prevention so

the T.S.A. can crack down on those who pose a threat to the country. If the government can keep

these new methods coming there is a good chance that we can stop terrorism for good. Again,

Nixon points out, “The guidelines prohibir profiling based on race, religion, or

gender…”(Nixon). People might think the T.S.A. will be looking for Muslims or people of Arab
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descent but that is not the case. The system that they implemented is not biased and they will not

put someone on the the list for unjust reasons. The T.S.A. has found a new way method to track

terrorism and this might come in handy when another terrorist wants to take action.