Privacy and surveillance as a result of the digital world

Abstract

This long essay is a literature review of the issues regarding privacy and surveillance in the digital world. The long essay starts with a definition of privacy and surveillance then continues with the evolution of technology and its implications. The explosion of new technology in the past decades has really changed the world. With technological progress privacy invasion is very likely to occur. Technology advances have created new opportunities but also has brought about unwanted disclosure of personal information. When one is educated one can make better choices, especially when certain information can be controlled. What people do in private, could also be made public in the digital world, therefore people should have full control of their own information and not be too involved in disclosing certain information to maintain one’s social life, because not all sites provide adequate privacy management. It is important that individuals are aware of who has access to their data, how their data is being processed and for what purposes the data is needed, especially after the scandal of the NSA which was revealed by Edward Snowden. There should be a balance between security and privacy.