Chapter 5

This chapter touches on the privacy issues related to surveillance. It talks about satellite, video cameras, and microphone capabilities. As I read this book I am always taking into account that it was written in the late nineties, and I wonder how these issues have changed. I know that we now have even more accurate satellite imagery, and it is readily available to the public for free through websites such as Google Earth. The government has had satellite image capabilities since the 50’s which was classified information until 1996. It makes me wonder what’s classified now that we won’t know about for another 50 years. One main point that the author makes is how we have become numb to video surveillance, we don’t even notice the cameras anymore. There used to be a time when the public felt very uncomfortable around cameras and fought to keep them out of public areas as much as possible, MIT actually had a campus rule about public cameras. However, today cameras are commonplace and we have given up the fight and accepted them as part of our public life. It is true that when you’re in public anyone can see you and take note of what you’re doing, but technology has made it increasingly easy to observe the public often in unnecessary ways. It’s funny how many places will videotape you without your permission, but they won’t allow you to photograph or videotape them or their place of business. However, surveillance equipment is now readily available to consumers allowing them to watch over their home and anyone that is in or around it. Be careful what you do when you think you’re alone, because these days you’re never really alone.