Privacy in 2012... Does it exist and should it?
Chelsea Markel
9/12/12
With the
rapid expansion of technology, privacy is often compromised, consciously and
unconsciously by the individual. The amount of privacy that an one in 2012 has used to be considered a 'personal choice', but is that still the case? In this
blog post I will be analyzing the pros and cons of efforts by federal officials
to order cell phone companies to furnish real-time tracking of data so that
officials can pinpoint fugitives and suspects. Needless to say, many opinions
exist on whether or not installing real-time tracking on cellular devices is a
good or a bad thing for society as a whole. Proponents for
installing a tracking system in cell phones argue that this technology can be
useful in emergency situations and also can be a powerful tool in identifying
criminals. Whereas opponents suggest that tracking services go against the
rights of American citizens and believe that trackers are a complete invasion
of personal privacy. In my opinion, I believe that both sides of this topic
have a valid point but if an individual is not breaking the law then this technology will not
be of harm to that person. The question that I pose is; if you are obeying the law then
what is the harm of having this tracking service installed on your phone?
Supporters
of installing and utilizing tracking technology on cell phones believe that
this will be a helpful tool in keeping people more safe and secure, by allowing people in
emergency situations, such as a natural disaster or a hostage situation, to be
located by the police. This tracking technology is an extremely useful tool in
the rescue and search of missing people after natural disasters or any time of
emergency situation. Tracking technology has been the method of many people
being located during these harmful situations by firefighters and police
officers. Additionally, supporters affirm that law enforcement tracking does
not violate the Fourth Amendment; which protects Americans against illegal
searches, due to the fact that “tracking doesn’t require a physical interaction
with the suspect’s handset” (Jones, 1). Therefore, proponents conclude
that cell data is incredibly valuable to law
enforcement during the course of an investigation and search for people during
an emergency situation.
Opponents
of this tracking technology being used in cellular devices argue that their
rights are being violated and that their privacy is basically eliminated. An
article written by Catherine Crump, from the ACLU, stated, “the government should have to get a
warrant before tracking cell phones. That is what is necessary to protect
Americans’ privacy, and it is also what is required under the Constitution”
(Crump, 1). Many
people believe that they should not have to sacrifice their amount of privacy,
even though this technology can be helpful in targeting criminals.
So
where do you stand on this topic? In the near future, the senate will be
reviewing “the
Geolocation Privacy and Surveillance (GPS) Act, which would require law
enforcement officers to obtain a warrant to access location information from
cell phones or GPS devices. It would also mandate that private
telecommunications companies obtain their customers’ consent before collecting location
data” (Crump, 1). The question still remains, is
cell phone tracking a good or a bad thing for society?
If you are
interested in learning more about this topic and seeing what other people have
to say, click these links and learn more! You comments are welcomed :)