Is there still privacy in this world?

Is everyone being watched?

Graffiti against closed-circuit TV. Source: Pinterest

Have you ever watched the series Black Mirror? It is too futuristic, and each episode brings extraordinary technological devices to the scene. However, as people who have seen some episodes may know, Black Mirror make us think about our own privacy and how surveillance technology has improved nowadays. After I watched some episodes, I wonder ‘is my privacy being disturbed?’. I looked around me and I noticed that most people had a little sticker on their computers’ camera. Then, I rushed to get one sticker for mine as well.

Surveillance technology

Closed-circuit television (CCTV) is a surveillance system that uses video cameras to transmit the image to a specific place. It is used in some cities for security reasons; the most common ones include street crime, suspicious behaviours, illicit drug selling, and others.  The main devices of CCTV are cameras, video cameras, video motion detectors, video cassette recorders, etc. Each camera can have its own function, some can identify gunshots, they can also have infrared software to detect motion, others can even identify your face from more than 330 meters away (more than 3 soccer fields).  Ultimately, the marvels of CCTV have not only helped to prevent terrorist attacks but also have helped to prevent poaching in natural reserves. More advanced technologies are being implemented to fight other crimes such as contraband by using X-rays to identify cocaine cargoes.

Cameras from a CCTV. Source: Pinterest

Are cameras only watching crime?

The demand for security has increased during the last years resulting in the expansion of video surveillance business. There are around 10,000 security cameras in Chicago and about 180 cameras monitoring just the north part of central London. In fact, London has increased by 72% the number of cameras becoming one of the most closely watched cities on the planet. The estimated size of the surveillance global market was $13.5 billion in 2012, and it is expected to be $39 billion by 2020. However, there are different opinions on whether having more cameras is safer or not.

“If CCTV had a direct relationship on crime rates, London would be the safest city in the world”, says Nick Pickles, director of Big Brother Watch (a non-profit British organization that fights against state surveillance).

Beyond CCTV, is it all about security?

A satellite orbiting the Earth. Source: GIPHY

Cameras are not only around cities but they are also above us! Today, there are more than 1,700 satellites orbiting the Earth. They take images, they can give us the exact location where we are, and they even listen to conversations. These satellites have allowed us to monitor natural disasters, synchronize timing for computers and cell phones, aid navigation, collect data about space and also can be used in the military. It is amazing to think how shoe-box size satellites can give us all these information and how engineers and scientists are still trying to improve satellites’ features.

A simple explanation of how satellites and GPS work. 
Source: YouTube

Mirkka Puente