Smile, You're On Camera! The Modern Tech That Stands To Destroy Your Privacy

Technology provides us with so many comforts and conveniences. It makes life easier and takes away tasks that we would otherwise have to spend hours on. Even simple things like washing clothing are almost entirely handled by machines. But, technology isn’t always in place for our benefit.

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Surveillance is becoming more and more complex. Nowadays, most companies and even private houses will be protected by CCTV. These systems will usually record at all times, dropping footage every few days. This ensures that the footage can be saved if something happens. CCTV also follows you in most public places, too. Businesses use these systems to protect themselves. And, governments install them in troubled areas.

These cameras are becoming more and more advanced. Modern examples can track faces and even feed the information to authorities. For criminals, this presents a problem. If their face has been captured before, having it on display could get them caught very easily. And, in most cases, they won’t even know they’ve been found until it’s far too late. This technology makes a lot of people feel uncomfortable, and for good reason. With cameras that can track people, our privacy is put into question.

It’s not only businesses that could be watching you, as well. Modern gadgetry has enabled companies to make incredibly small but high-quality cameras. One example of this is in glasses. They’re usually very well hidden, making it hard for you to notice it. And, they will usually be enabled wirelessly. This makes it near enough impossible to know if you’re being recorded by someone wearing one of these devices.

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Another example can be found in spy watches. These are watches that have a camera hidden on them. Usually, this camera will be hidden within the face of the watch. Of course, these gadgets can be seen as completely innocent. They are a quickly available camera; that doesn’t require anything else to operate. So, they’re great for young families. But, in the wrong hands, they could be used very inappropriately.

All of this technology is great when it comes to security. It provides you with a way to protect your home, business, and even yourself. But, it also means that other people have the same power against you. It also means that people who want to use these tools for the wrong reasons have easy access to them. Any legitimate place will usually display the fact that they use CCTV, and cameras will be made obvious. But, for civilians, there aren't rules that prevent these devices from being very well hidden.

Of course, being worried about this is a double edged sword. If you have nothing to hide, there’s nothing to fear. But, does that means it’s alright to be scrutinized? A lot of people would argue that using systems like this is like declaring someone is guilty without having tried them. They don’t have a chance to defend their rights to privacy, even when they’ve done nothing wrong or to a arouse attention. Ultimately, there’s not much you can do other than being aware of the issue.