INTERNET A TOOL FOR SURVEILLANCE?

The current millennium has witnessed the greatest dissemination of information, thanks to the
incredible power of the internet to spread it within a split second. It is a Herculean task to even keep
up with the new innovations in data distribution in this tech world. Just like every human invention,
this spread of information has its own advantages and disadvantages. I would like discuss on the
intrusion of internet in the private life of individuals and how such unsolicited information is utilized
by various agents to serve their own interests.
The world was shocked at the revelation of Edward Snowden regarding the The PRISM project of
USA and there were protests all around the world against this snooping by the USA into the
confidential matters of sovereign, independent states like India, Brazil etc. This incident exposed the
extent to which government play the big brother with individual life through the internet.
Everything we search, watch or visit in popular search are monitored and the data collected are
directly or indirectly used by certain other agents like ad companies, social networking sites etc. So
in the age, the personal becomes the global and the global becomes the personal. The right to
privacy of individuals are infringed for new information distribution.
This surveillance can indeed be used for useful purposes, for example scientific research. The
recent news regarding Facebook using such information for research is one example. But considering
the human proclivity for trouble, the information can be used for more destructive purpose like
cyber-crimes. Nevertheless it makes me uneasy to know that data about my life are collected from
me without my knowledge. Facebook recently defended such data collection saying that there is a
clause in their agreement with the users regarding the information used for research activities. But
dont the users have to know why, when and how information is collected?
However, we cant cut-off internet from our lives even if we know that we leave footprints in the net
for anyone to follow in the internet. Internet is increasingly used in almost every corner of life. It is
increasingly utilized by the state to ensure good governance. The new telecom policy,2012 has
suggested the right to broadband for all concept. The state seeking to bridge the digital-divide
emphasises on how internet can have omnipresent effect. So with the increasing widespread nature
of internet the users have a right to protect their personal lives from surveillance in the internet.
There is a need for educating people to protect their privacy and to protest against state sponsored
snooping.
In conclusion, internet has created a catch-22 situation in our lives. We are living in a world where
we have to use it regardless of its eagle eyes monitoring you.