Question
Nowadays technology is increasingly being used to monitor what people are saying and doing (for
example, through cell phone tracking and security cameras). In many cases, the people being
monitored are unaware that this is happening.
Do you think the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?
Answer
In the twenty-first century, it is common for people’s actions and information to be monitored by
others without their knowledge or consent. Opinion is strongly divided over this topic, with some
people being adamantly opposed to such invasion of personal privacy, and others believing that it is
necessary for our security. This essay will argue that the disadvantages outweigh the advantages,
and as such this trend is dangerous for our future.
To begin with, as we move into an increasingly digital world, our personal data is mostly stored
online. From dating profiles to photos to bank details, so much of what is important is now stored on
computers. Much of this is available to governments and businesses without our knowledge, and it is
even common for social media companies to sell our data to third parties in order to make profits.
This leads to large organizations knowing more about our lives than we ever wanted them to. Our
data should be our personal property, and we should have more say over how it is handled.
In addition, with the ever-present threat of global terrorism, government agencies are constantly
monitoring people around the world. They do this by watching us on security cameras and also
eavesdropping on our phone and email communication. This is ostensibly a positive thing as it
should keep us safer, but in fact it is causing people to lose their privacy. If this is part of the fight
against terrorism, then the terrorists have won because we are losing our personal freedoms each
day.
In conclusion, although there are doubtless benefits to our lives being monitored by others, the
disadvantages are greater because individuals are losing their rights and freedoms in various ways.
