The Nature of Surveillance within the Context of Privacy Issues Associated with CCTV - Case Study Example

CCTV and Metadata Retention Name Course title Date Introduction Surveillance can be defined as the activity of watching over information, people, property, and behaviour with an aim to protect, maintain, influence or offer directions. This activity involves observing using equipment like cameras and data interception, in additional to human agents (Staples, 2000). These are used to collect data that can be used to follow the trends of the activities and be able to identify significant information form the process. Moreover, surveillance is used to improve security, ensure guaranteed safety, provide important information through data mining and maintain consistency operations for the purpose of improving standards of living. Surveillance is done carefully and with a lot of caution because in raises issues related to privacy, security, safety and human rights (Siobhan, & Jennifer, 2013). In this era that is characterized with high technology growth and highly automated living, surveillance is inevitable and records of our daily living are recorded with or without our knowledge. There has been increased usage of CCTV cameras, GPS systems, internet bugs and intelligent agents in many areas of operations. This has helped in tracking, monitoring and observing behaviour, activities or individuals with an aim to use the data to analyse different aspects of living (Simmonds, Sandilands, & Van_kert, 2004). Hence it can be noted that the current level as well as the scope of surveillance cannot be imagined as it is in its highest in history. Almost every area of operation has embraced surveillance and various reasons for this practice include anti-terrorism programs, fighting robbery, eliminating cybercrimes, controlling shoplifting and protecting intellectual property among other reasons (Kaufman, Perlman, & Speciner, 2002). This paper looks to examine the nature of surveillance within the context of privacy issues associated with CCTV and Metadata retention. CCTV Surveillance The usage of closed-circuit television (CCTV) has increased in business platform, government offices, homes and public facilities. This is the usage of the video cameras to perform tasks of delivering video images or pictures to the user as a strategy of collecting data for various reasons. The cameras are fitted in open laces or disguised environments so that they can record information of any activity that happens within their range. The target victim to be watched may be aware or may not have any idea of being watched, this gives power to the one watching since he can control activities and behaviour of the target area (Wright & Harmening, 2009). Some of the areas where CCTV surveillance happens are financial institutions, crowded public places, convenience stores, airports, military barracks and casinos. Moreover, CCTVs are used in industrial plants to supervise and monitor production processes as well as in environments where human survival is dangerous or harmful. The data collected is recorded in large volume disks and can be revisited whenever need arises. In the current technology era, high megapixel cameras with motion detection capabilities are employed with ability to backup data in a cloud platform. This has taken surveillance to another level and helped many institutions, organizations and governments to disguise their operations so that they can keep their activities more secure (Staling, 2008). In their early stages of surveillance, CCTVs were used by police to fight crimes in the cities and streets as well as identifying peer groups that congested business districts so as to keep areas secure and safe with efficient business environment. Later the CCTVs were incorporated around and within organizations and businesses to perform tracking, monitoring and controlling activities as well as increasing the productivity in these environments. This was an alternative way of making scrutiny more sustainable without increasing policemen for public security maintenance and supervisors in business environment (Klauser, 2007). United States of American and United Kingdom have the earliest records of utilizing CCTV surveillance in the history of surveillance. Moreover, it is worth noting that CCTV surveillance has been effective in their operations with the rate of security improving and reduction of theft cases. However, some controversial concerns have arisen in the usage of these technology systems that include privacy issues (Ditton, 2000). Critics claim that CCTV surveillance infringes the privacy rights of the individuals under watch. The data obtained from these recordings can be used for other activities more than the target objective. This discussion raises two groups of people, those who support their usage and those who oppose it. However, it has been claimed that the CCTVs are used in public domains and not private areas and the benefits reaped from their usage outweighs raised concerns. The users have accepted the possibility of data being misused but researches have shown that only in rare occurrences can the data be used (Gras, 2004). Moreover, they have stated that usage of obtained data past the intended stated objective interferes with privacy and anonymity rights. Such acts are known to demean public dignity and liberty in environments where public freedom and rights should be highly respected. In response to these concerns, some governments have introduced regulations and codes that govern usage of CCTVs and their data. Organizations using these systems are required to register and licence them so as to comply with the terms and conditions stated during usage. Moreover, the public need to be notified that the areas are under surveillance. This is a bid to ensure that individual’s rights and privacy are respected at all cases (Norris, Wood, & McCahill, 2004). Furthermore, raising awareness to the public on how beneficial the usage of CCTVs is in improving their living of standards. This would help individuals to understand that the usage of these systems is for their benefit and not for the self-benefiting interests. Across the word there have court cases regarding to mounting of CCTVs in changing rooms and bathrooms and the organizations have claimed that most activities happen in these areas, thus, the reason for their usage in these areas. However, these spying incidents have been criticized by many people and authorities’ leading to orders being made to ensure that surveillance is done outside private areas (Webster, 2009). Metadata Retention On the other hand, metadata refers to the information belonging to the different entities that is collected in different platforms and environments. This information consists of individuals’ private data that should be kept private and securely. With the recent increased growth of technology the need to communicate has increased as people try to achieve the global village objective (Wellman, 2001). Various platforms have been developed in a bid to facilitate communication across the world. Moreover, this has increased the need for network security for protected conveyance of information. Achievement of this security and privacy between users and service providers’ demands for cooperation from all the parties involved without compromise (Newell, 2011). Therefore, it is worth stating that privacy of personal information is paramount healthy living and should be upheld always by both governmental and non-governmental agencies all over the world. Some of the most vulnerable platforms in the data usage are telecommunication companies, social medias, email providers, e-commerce sites and other internet based services that request for users data. These companies have access to large volumes of individuals’ data and this gives them an upper hand in determining how the data is being used (Blumenthal, Adya, & Mogle, 2009). It is worth noting that public data has high demand in the government operations and business market. This is because they can use it to reach owners easily or conduct investigations on them regarding different aspects of their lives. The business market needs the data to conduct market surveys and perform effective marketing strategies that can increase sales to increase profit margins (Nam et al., 2007). Therefore, this leads to companies holding public metadata to temptations of selling the data interested organizations which is a self-benefiting activity. This is against the privacy of the individual data and compromises their safety. Furthermore, the government agencies have been known to demand the access of available data from these companies holding large public data. Their claim is that they want to fight terrorism activities and research on improving public security. This makes them to have access to the data most of the times (Slobogin, 2012). On the other hand, the governments have been known to wiretap calls and data flow in companies that deals with large public data. Such practices are against the privacy and security of the individuals because most of the times it is done without public consent (Mann & Niedzviecki, 2001). A case study of privacy infringement related to metadata was when Snowden who was working for National Security Agency exposed in the media about wiretapping by NSA. This was compromising the privacy rights by wiretapping public communications of uninformed citizens. It qualified this undertaking as espionage that is a cybercrime and threatens international security in the technology world (Siobhan, & Jennifer, 2013). Therefore, that has been need for developing regulations that govern metadata retention, distribution and usage. Various governments have developed these regulations to see that individual privacy rights are upheld and respected. This helps to assure the public that their safety, security and right are paramount in daily operations (Walther, 2012). It is of importance to understand that caution is needed in this digital era where there are many negative issues that includes cybercrimes, stalking, cyberbullying and other destructive behaviour. Hence, individual privacy is important and that metadata should be handled with stringent measures in determining who has access to it for improved and safe surveillance practices (Von Marees, & Petermann, 2012). Conclusion Therefore, it can be concluded that surveillance has been in use for such a long time in history and its invention was for the benefit of improving living standards. It was to help develop a society with guaranteed security and safety to all individuals. However, with growing market needs and inventions there has come the need for the data obtained from these surveillance tools being used for personal benefits. Hence, this raises issues that relate to privacy bleach which compromises owners’ safety and security. Therefore, there is dire need to address these issues that surround CCTV surveillance and metadata retention, distribution and usage so as to ensure sustainable living is achieved. This paper comprehensively deals with these issues and gives a better understanding on privacy concerns. References Blumenthal, J.A., Adya, M., and Mogle, J. (2009). The Multiple Dimensions of Privacy: Testing Lay ‘Expectations of Privacy. University of Pennsylvania Journal of Constitutional Law, 11, 311-374. Ditton, J. (2000) Public Attitudes towards Open Street CCTV in Glasgow, British Journal of Criminology, 40 692-709. Gras, M. (2004) Legal Regulation of CCTV in Europe: The Politics of CCTV in Europe and Beyond, Surveillance and Society. 2 (3). Kaufman, C., Perlman, R. & Speciner, M. (2002).Network Security: Private Communication in a Public World, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall. Klauser, F. (2007) Difficulties in Revitalizing Public Space by CCTV: Street Prostitution Surveillance in the Swiss City of Olten, European Urban and Regional Studies, (14):337. Lyon, D. (2001) Surveillance Society: Monitoring Everyday Life. Buckingham: Open University Press. Mann, S. and H. Niedzviecki (2001) Cyborg: Digital Destiny and Human Possibility in the Age of the Wearable Computer. Toronto: Random House Doubleday. Mawby, R. C. (2002) Policing Images: Policing, Communication and Legitimacy. Cullompton: Willan. McCahill, M. (2002) The Surveillance Web: The Rise of Visual Surveillance in an English City. Cullompton: Willan. Nam Y, Ryu J, Joo Choi Y, Duke Cho W (2007) Learning spatio-temporal topology of a multi-camera network by tracking multiple people. World Academics Science Engineering Techechnology, 4(4):254–259 Newell, B.C. (2011). Rethinking Reasonable Expectations of Privacy. Richmond Journal of Law and Technology, 17(12): 1-62. Norris, C., Wood, D. & McCahill, M. (2004) ‘The Growth of CCTV: a global perspective on the international diffusion of video surveillance in publicly accessible space’. Surveillance and Society, 2(3): 110-135. Simmonds, A., Sandilands, P & Van_kert, L (2004). "An Ontology for Network Security Attacks". Computer Science Journal, 3285, pp. 317–323. doi:10.1007/978-3-540- 30176-9_41, ISBN 978-3-540-23659-7. Siobhan, G. & Jennifer, V.D. (2013) New Details Show Broader NSA Surveillance Reach Accessed from [20 March 2015]. Slobogin, C. (2012). Making the Most of Jones v. United States in a Surveillance Society: A Statutory Implementation of Mosaic Theory. Duke Journal of Constitutional Law & Public Policy, 8: 1-37. Staling, W. (2008) Network Security Essential: Applications and Standards, Fourth Ed, Boston: Prentice Hall, ISBN 9788131716649. Staples, W.G. (2000) Everyday Surveillance: Vigilance and Visibility in Postmodern Life. Oxford: Rowman and Littlefield. Von Marees, N., and Petermann, F. (2012) Cyberbullying: An increasing challenge for schools, School Psychology International Journal, 33(5): 475-477. Walther, B. (2012) Cyberbullying: Holding grownups liable for negligent entrustment. Houston Law Review, 49(2): 531-562. Webster, W. (2009) ‘CCTV Policy in the UK: reconsidering the evidence base’. Surveillance and Society 6(1):10-22 Wellman, B. (2001) Physical place and cyberspace: the rise of personalized networks. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 25(2): 227-252. Wright, J. & Harmening, J. (2009) Computer and Information Security Handbook, Burlington, Massachusetts: Morgan Kaufmann Publications p. 257. Read More

Some of the areas where CCTV surveillance happens are financial institutions, crowded public places, convenience stores, airports, military barracks and casinos. Moreover, CCTVs are used in industrial plants to supervise and monitor production processes as well as in environments where human survival is dangerous or harmful. The data collected is recorded in large volume disks and can be revisited whenever need arises. In the current technology era, high megapixel cameras with motion detection capabilities are employed with ability to backup data in a cloud platform.

This has taken surveillance to another level and helped many institutions, organizations and governments to disguise their operations so that they can keep their activities more secure (Staling, 2008). In their early stages of surveillance, CCTVs were used by police to fight crimes in the cities and streets as well as identifying peer groups that congested business districts so as to keep areas secure and safe with efficient business environment. Later the CCTVs were incorporated around and within organizations and businesses to perform tracking, monitoring and controlling activities as well as increasing the productivity in these environments.

This was an alternative way of making scrutiny more sustainable without increasing policemen for public security maintenance and supervisors in business environment (Klauser, 2007). United States of American and United Kingdom have the earliest records of utilizing CCTV surveillance in the history of surveillance. Moreover, it is worth noting that CCTV surveillance has been effective in their operations with the rate of security improving and reduction of theft cases. However, some controversial concerns have arisen in the usage of these technology systems that include privacy issues (Ditton, 2000).

Critics claim that CCTV surveillance infringes the privacy rights of the individuals under watch. The data obtained from these recordings can be used for other activities more than the target objective. This discussion raises two groups of people, those who support their usage and those who oppose it. However, it has been claimed that the CCTVs are used in public domains and not private areas and the benefits reaped from their usage outweighs raised concerns. The users have accepted the possibility of data being misused but researches have shown that only in rare occurrences can the data be used (Gras, 2004).

Moreover, they have stated that usage of obtained data past the intended stated objective interferes with privacy and anonymity rights. Such acts are known to demean public dignity and liberty in environments where public freedom and rights should be highly respected. In response to these concerns, some governments have introduced regulations and codes that govern usage of CCTVs and their data. Organizations using these systems are required to register and licence them so as to comply with the terms and conditions stated during usage.

Moreover, the public need to be notified that the areas are under surveillance. This is a bid to ensure that individual’s rights and privacy are respected at all cases (Norris, Wood, & McCahill, 2004). Furthermore, raising awareness to the public on how beneficial the usage of CCTVs is in improving their living of standards. This would help individuals to understand that the usage of these systems is for their benefit and not for the self-benefiting interests. Across the word there have court cases regarding to mounting of CCTVs in changing rooms and bathrooms and the organizations have claimed that most activities happen in these areas, thus, the reason for their usage in these areas.

However, these spying incidents have been criticized by many people and authorities’ leading to orders being made to ensure that surveillance is done outside private areas (Webster, 2009). Metadata Retention On the other hand, metadata refers to the information belonging to the different entities that is collected in different platforms and environments.

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