The door appears to have opened and we are now passing into Orwell’s “1984”. I feel “Big Brother’ is watching my every movement. Soon, I will become a number among many.
Everyday, I hear more and more about the invasion of privacy. Do I have any rights to my privacy? What right does government or other parties have to my information? Is there anything I can do to stop this invasion? Is my use of the internet safe? If not, why not? What business does anyone have to the information on my computer? The 4th Amendment guarantees:’ the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effect against unreasonable searches and seizures.” Is anyone paying attention to the Constitution? Is it the role of government to protect our 4th Amendment Rights, or violate them?
The government wants to control everything, but it can’t control and protect its own information. There is a story being told that a conversation between the FBI and Scotland Yard was hacked. Then there’s the drone that landed in Iran. The drone was hacked into by the Russians or Chinese and forced to land in Iran. This is big stuff. What is government doing to combat these serious violations and protect us from cyber attacks?
In a recent 60 Minute segment, the show highlighted the fact that drones would be used in New York for surveillance. Street cameras are not enough, now we need drones. Have these tools decreased crimes or accidents? There are plenty of laws on the books to protect the citizenry. In severe cases of terrorism or crimes drones should be considered. I don’t know if I want Big Bother watching my every move.
Government has intruded into our lives by trying to control gun ownership, health care, what we eat, what we drink, what cars we drive, they want to control the air waves and internet, and who gets what. Where will it stop? What happened to common sense? What happened to the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? Maybe government should get out of our lives and concentrate on jobs, the economy, national security and defense. Does government know what its mission is? Are we the enemy? I don’t believe Government has to become Big Brother and control us as Orwell described in his book “1984”.
Technology has made our lives more comfortable; while on the other hand it has also made it more complex. Who will steal my identity, pilfer my bank account, use my credit card, and use my personal information. Today I can go on the internet and for $39.95 buy your personal information. If I wanted a social security number; I can check death records. Who controls the wholesale use of personal information? Who gave anyone the right to sell my personal information or for that matter anyone’s information.
Fifty years ago this wasn’t a problem. Today we need to protect our information. We can no longer throw personal papers in the garbage; we have to burn or shred them. We need passwords and pin numbers for use on our computers and various accounts. Even with all types of security someone will find a way to get to your information. It can be government, corporations or individuals who invade our world. They use the information for the mailings that flood our mailboxes, the phone calls we get at suppertime, for personal gain, and the bugs they plant in our computers to monitor our usage. Anyone who violates my space and privacy should be prosecuted. I understand there are instances where government and businesses need information for security reasons. There is nothing wrong with collecting data for research as long as it is not personal. There should be limited reasons to know my social security number, phone number, religion, age, medical history, political affiliations, and financial information. That’s private information that should not be used against my wishes. Most companies have privacy procedures they follow to protect us. Maybe the people in government, corporations and individuals should pay attention to the 4th Amendment and privacy laws. We need to close the door on the intrusions into our lives before it’s too late.
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