The War on Surveillance

In Dave Egger’s novel “The Circle”, security monitoring is a major issue. The act of constantly watching everyone’s actions to assure no one is doing anything that is dangerous, out of the norm, or harmful to anyone is looked at as a positive act. Secrets are considered dangerous, privacy is considered unsafe. Everyone’s actions should be available for the world to see and everything should be open. The characters of “The Circle”, with the exception of a few, feels if everyone is being watched there is a lesser chance people with comment crimes. Having a constant eye on a person can change a person action throughout daily life. People will most likely become more aware on the things they do and say if they know they are constantly being watched.

Throughout the “The Circle” one can see just how deeply the characters in the novel feel about their point of view on privacy. They are very grounded to their beliefs. The Circle, witch is a big time company with the intentions on changing the world by making secrets and privacy a thing of the past, look at their work as being helpful. Members of the circle do not see the faults in what they are doing but only the benefits. Circle employees believe that they can better the world by the use of surveillance. “SECERTS ARE LIES, SHARING IS CARING, PRIVACY IS THEIFT” (The Circle 305). In todays society there is a debate on wither surveillance could help decrease crime and better the actions of individuals. A person might be less likely to commit a crime or do anything that may be looked at as negative if they know they are being watched. People tend to be a little more aware and cautious about the things they do and say when they know there are praying eyes starring at them. In Egger’s novel the use of cameras throughout the world within “The Circle” monitor hundreds and thousands of people each day. Video feeds from these cameras stream over the web and is made accessible to everyone. It is hard for someone to commit an act that may be dean as unfit if they know for sure they are being fully monitored and can be easily identified. It then becomes easier for one person to sit and think before actually acting on a thought.

With the recent trouble of police officers in today’s society the big question comes into play about wither police offices and their actions should be monitored. The discussion on wither police officers in today’s society should where body cameras continues. This brings in the point that Egger tries to make within his novel “The Circle”. If police officers are being monitored there is a increased chance that officers of the law will do everything to code. There will also be a decrease in crooked police officers. If all is monitored, evidence of any unlawful actions or racism shown from an officer will all be on film as evidence. It will provide an accurate record of events for people of power, and even the people of America to see. With the raising violence we are seeing from officers, something must be done to monitor the men in blue to assure that all is being done by the book.

“The fatal shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager, by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, in August 2014 sparked calls for body cameras for police officers. Police officers in Ferguson began wearing body cameras when dealing with protests following Brown’s death. In December 2014, the Obama administration proposed a number of reforms for police departments, including $75 million in federal funding over three years to equip police officers with body cameras.”