 | Given the recent unveiling of our government’s surveillance of citizens through Wiki-leaks, do you feel that your safety is worth the cost of your privacy? Or, would you rather maintain your privacy and protect yourself as you see fit? |
29 Comments
Taylor McNair
9/4/2015 01:42:52 pm
Yes I do feel that my safety is worth the cost of my privacy ,because right now since I'm only a teenager it really doesn't affect me so much and I really don't care what they are doing . I think they should be able to do what they want without letting the world know. Me personally I have nothing to hide so they can do whatever they want if that's going to keep me safe in the long run.
Mrs. Elbakry
9/5/2015 05:23:56 pm
Taylor, do you think the people who released the news that the government has been spying on US citizens were right in sharing this top secret information? Would we be better off not knowing what's going on behind the scenes? (Try to expand on your post so that your total sentences adds up to 8 for full credit)
Zach Burr
9/4/2015 02:40:45 pm
Personally I feel there is no problem with the government "spying" on us. If you don't have anything to hide then there is nothing to worry about, and it's not like they really know who you are. They might know your name, but they don't really know you, so anything that might be a little embarrassing doesn't really matter. In my opinion, if that's what the government deems is necessary to protect our country then I trust them. To be honest I don't understand why anyone is actually surprised by the fact that the government is watching us. The USA Patriot Act, the law that allows this to happen, was passed in 2001, twelve years before Edward Snowden "revealed" that the government has been spying on us. The people that passed that act were elected by the American people and given the power to make decisions in our best interest, and an overwhelming amount of them said that spying on us is in our best interest. I can understand why others might be upset about this, but I'm just apathetic towards it.
Mrs. Elbakry
9/5/2015 05:04:52 pm
Well said, Zach. Your point about the American people electing those who put the Patriot Act into place was a solid fact to support your argument.
Brad T
9/5/2015 02:12:47 pm
My privacy is more important to me than my safety. I would not want to be spied on 24/7 to somehow maintain my safety. I think that is extremely silly reasoning upon the governments behalf. For what reason would they need to know that I am playing Xbox at 3:30 in the afternoon? I don't understand why us human beings cannot maintain our own privacy and protect ourselves. When the government spies on its own people then it is losing the trust of its citizens. Does the government see it's citizens spying on them? When trust is lost people begin to rebel against the government, we do not want this to turn into some type of future dystopia.
Mrs. Elbakry
9/5/2015 05:08:14 pm
Brad, your final line is certainly accurate. Our political climate today is indicative of just that. Good points.
Shelby E
9/6/2015 09:12:19 am
I feel that my privacy is worth the cost of my safety because no matter where you are and what your doing people can see things weather it's on social media, or just being around in the world. People have access to track you and actually look what your doing through your phone or other devices and I feel that it's wrong because not only can the government get our information but someone not in their state of mind, and might hurt us, can also get our information. I also feel that if the government wants to ivaide our privacy they should provide us with a permission slip if we want our privacy to be looked at or not, but the government is going to do what they want either way, even if we don't have a say in it!
Jonathan Dinan
9/6/2015 03:38:08 pm
Based on the new unveiling of our governments secrets, I believe that our safety is priority and it should get in the way of our privacy. When occurrences like this happen the things that keep us safe are intruded when our privacy is also tampered with. So in order to keep our people safe we have to provide security for our privacy. If there is something so private that you have to keep to yourself then you wouldn't have to worry about it but if you do then there would be a problem. As we know the government has a tight grip on our society and monitors most of the things we do so keeping things private is inevitable. So safety would definitely be the first thing you would want to do since privacy can't be controlled ourselves.
Connor Abbot
9/6/2015 08:12:58 pm
I feel that if the government wants to see what were doing then let them. If you are not doing anything illegal that they can prove then you have nothing to worry about. The government would not be concerned our would really care about how many selfies you and your best friend sent to each other. With them looking at what we are doing it could improve our safety at home and around the globe. By that I mean they would be focused in on known or suspected terrorists. They would be able to see what they are doing and if anything looks suspicious or could cause harm to people they would be able to put a stop to it. But in order for government organizations to be able to see what we are doing our devices must be connected to the internet or a wireless cellular provided. But on the flip side you would have the crowd that feels that it would infringe on their natural rights. Overall I don't have an issue with the government looking at what we do on our devices due to the fact that it would keep us safe.
Jacob Engelman
9/7/2015 02:36:13 pm
I feel that the government will do what ever they want to do regardless of what society may say. I believe that it is necessary for the government to spy on us in some ways. I think it is a good thing that the government can see what people are doing and react to it. this is a good way to keep people safe. may people will pick privacy over safety but your safety is much more important than your privacy. The government is going to have all of this information regardless of if people want them to have it or not. if they government never knew what people where doing it could be very dangerous. the government does not need our permission to trace every thing we do.
Autumn Epperson
9/7/2015 04:17:04 pm
I believe that people should able to know that they should have both. It's probably not possible but it could if the government asked permission to our privacy and be able to make us feel safe knowing they would do it under certain circumstances. Like by only going through the stuff they really need to know, ex: health records, family info if something bad happened to you kind of thing. But then there is the fact that if the government can go through our privacy other people could do it as well. Then those people who lose their privacy and don't feel safe because of it will want protect themselves from anyone or anything. It would be more comforting to know that both could work it out and make both happen. Because people feel safer and have more privacy because of it.
Katia Bacchiocchi
9/7/2015 06:38:03 pm
I think that over the course of many years privacy has become a privilege not a right. Many people look at life as, "it no ones business." However; the way I look it as if the government, or the college you want to attend wants dig into your "private life," let them! If you are not doing anything wrong you have nothing to worry about! Also, looking back many years ago, privacy was not as big of an issue, if you had a so called secret you met someone face to face. I'm a firm believer that anything you post online, is out there for the entire world to see, weather you delete it or not. The internet is not owned by you therefore the internet is not yours. The information you post will just become data. I am 100 percent certain that it is more important to have you privacy be broken then our safety be at risk. This world is a scary place, and I think it's amazing that we have people that want to protect us.
Matt Geffert
9/7/2015 07:06:43 pm
I feel that i would rather have my privacy then my safety. I feel this way because the government now is getting so advanced that someone will get into that system and have all of our information. The video we watched in class about the pizza delivery is an exact example of what i am talking about. If our information is leaked the world will be a very sketchy place. People will know all of your health records and different things you have done in the past by an app. I hate not feeling that i am secured within my own devices. The fact that the government has to invade our privacy just to keep us safe is a whole different issue that we will have to deal with in the future.
Frank C
9/7/2015 07:19:24 pm
I do not feel that my my safety is worth the loss of my privacy. If my information was made public it could possibly get into the hands of someone with malicious intent. Even though the government is suppose to look after our best interests as a whole this is not always the case. There is always a chance of a bad seed in people so there is no guarantee that you will be protected. My information could be misconstrued. Due to this it could be used inappropriately against me. It can also be used for others gains as oppose to protection of the whole. Your private matters should remain private because you can never be sure of another persons character or intent.
Mrs. E
9/7/2015 09:34:44 pm
Well said, Frank.
Jenna Remaly
9/7/2015 08:01:00 pm
In my opinion safety is more important than privacy. Even though many things can be an invasion of privacy such as going through phones and bags, it is still for the safety of yourself and others so it should not matter. I would rather have the government go through my calls and moniter everything I do as well as others for my safety. For example, if someone is planning on bombing or doing other harmful things I would want the government to see that so they can prevent it from happening. I do not think its an invasion of privacy because as long as you're not breaking the law you will not be punished for anything. Also, they will only moniter the people that are of suspicion of doing wrong such as terriosts and killers so people like me that do no wrong will not be monitored as closely. People that have something to hide are scared to be monitored because they don't want to get caught. Those are the people that should be watched for the protection of others.
Sergey C.
9/7/2015 09:02:46 pm
I personally don't care if the government is spying on us because I have nothing to hide from them. In this case safety is more important to me than privacy. In the long run, if it's going to keep my family or me safe then let the government be and let them do their job. The government does many things to keep us safe such as monitoring for terrorist threats, drug cartel, human trafficking and organized crime activities. On the other hand criminals should be the only ones being spied on from the government. However, if you aren't a criminal then you have nothing to worry about. The government is only looking at key words that get their attention. Therefore, if you are engaging in those activities then the government has a right to invade your privacy.
Greg Barton
9/8/2015 08:57:29 am
Since there have been so many recent unveiling of our government’s surveillance of citizens through Wiki-leaks, I feel like I would rather maintain my privacy then care about my safety. It seems that anyone could easily hack into anything related to the government and how their system is ran. It disturbs me how easily someone can steal your stuff and either put it on the internet for everyone to see> Some people keep your information to themselves and try to act like you and steal your identity. The video we saw in class was a perfect example of how someone could easily get all your information without you even having any idea. It was shocking that so many people knew how to steal other individuals information and made it look so easy.
Ethan Grim
9/8/2015 09:05:10 am
Our Government is a reflection of the way Americans live there daily lives. If our society truley wanted pure privacy we would not seek information about each other everyday. The government has a duty to protect and serve its country and if losing my privacy will keep my family and friends safer than i can deal with other people breaching into my life. Not everyone is innocent in the world and there are true threats within our country that need to be detained. Th e internet has many powers and one power is spreading information to millions of people within minutes of being put out there. The only way for us to trust that information is with people looking over the websites and information being posted everyday. If we can cause issues in our lives than we can fix them as well. My true belief is if you have a privacy problem than you are obviously hiding something that is frowned upon by others so fix it and you will lose that fear.
Sydney Burch
9/8/2015 03:38:44 pm
I agree with Jacob in the sense that regardless of what society says, the government will carry through with whatever acts of invasion they choose. I think that its necessary, to some extent, for the government to monitor what we do for the sake of our safety. Although invasive, who is it really hurting? I believe that if our society isn't doing anything wrong then we have no concerns. However, its unsettling to consider the amount of power they do hold over us. It would be a much more comforting thought if I didn't have to consider my future pizza purchases including a background check :( I think the video was far fetched and people really need to reconsider their thoughts and distinguish their fears and what the government will actually be doing with our information to keep us safe. Overall I believe this is beneficial.
maddie wachner
9/8/2015 03:53:14 pm
I don't really care either if I am "spied" on because I am a teenager and if I had something to hide then yes and my safty is more valuable. teens are probably more impacted but because we know the way with the Internet, we know to not do things we'll regret later in life. in the safety aspect I do want to be protected from those people who can take personal things like in the video we watched. I also want the government to protect us and us have safty for the family aspect of it and to make sure families are safe. the man shouldn't have leaked all that stuff about those people because they trusted the company and that man put them at risk so again safty is better than privacy.
Eugene Tanucci
9/8/2015 04:17:54 pm
I really don't care if the government is "spying" on us. Safety is more important than privacy. They are not doing any harm by looking in our privacy. If they are keeping us safe, then leave them be, they're doing there jobs. However, the government shouldn't be doing this in secret. They should had let the people know what they are doing. Otherwise this whole "government is spying on us"ordeal wouldn't be as bad. Other than that I have no problems with the government.
Kevin Murphy
9/8/2015 05:06:21 pm
What government doesnt spy on its own people? Do you really think our government cares about what we post on twitter about what we're doing for the weekend or the vacation pictures people post? Id be fine with them knowing these things if theyre trying to crack down on terrorists using the internet to communicate. Theyre trying to hunt down people possessing child pornography and people who are selling drugs through the internet. They try to find people committing crimes against the nation itself as well. If you're scared that the government is spying on us, then maybe you need to think about what you're using the internet for and why you're actually scared of them doing this. Also, even if they used our own information against us, we have the power and numbers to change what needs to be changed.
Allie DiVincenzo
9/8/2015 06:31:08 pm
I agree with the idea that as long as you have nothing to hide your "privacy" being looked at by the government shouldn't matter. With this in mind though your own personal day to day private life has nothing to do with safety.If you're 13,000 dollars in credit card debt but still go to Starbucks every morning, who cares if the government knows. Its not like they're going to help you anyway. Your medical records and information along those lines including addresses and phone numbers is basic public knowledge in my opinion and is possibly the only thing that could be used to your advantage in terms of safety. So personally I don't see the issue with your privacy being not so private because the two things are not even directly related to one another.
Nick Chernovetz
9/8/2015 07:05:49 pm
I feel as though if need be I could protect myself better if i weren't in the government's system. That way if anything were to go down as in everything is taken over by other people and what not. I could easily go off the grid and still communicate with others. So, I would say no. My privacy is probably my first line of defense if anything were to happen. As Ron Swanson once said "My idea of a perfect government who sits in a small room at a desk, and the only thing he's allowed to do is decide who to nuke." Though it's a bit harsh I'm in favor of the government not controlling everything we do in our day to day lives. *Notice to anyone who reads this and disagrees or feels as though they want to add anything to my point.* Don't.
Samantha Keithline
9/8/2015 09:04:44 pm
I feel my privacy is more important than my safety. I would rather have my own private life than to have someone keep me safe. I would not feel comftorable having someone watch my every move. I want to be able to do things in my life without people watching me. I can protect myself, I don't need someone to protect me. If it came down to people taking over what I do I would just not doing anything. I do not like the idea of other people protecting you. If you can not protect yourself you will not survive in th real world. Therefore, I am willing to give up my protection for my privacy. Without a private life you have no life!
Kyle Cianciola
9/8/2015 09:22:13 pm
I, personally, am fine with making the concession of my personal privacy in order to ensure my safety. In this modern age of information in which information can be attained and transmitted so easily regulations and monitoring need to be installed to ensure the safety of everyone under the control of a certain government. It is this concession of personal rights that we make in order to gain the benefits and organization of governments that have shaped the course of human history for years, for better or for worse and it was these concessions that early human beings recognized had to be made in order to progress efficiently. I liken this situation to those in several countries which have relinquished their right to bear arms in order to ensure the safety of their citizens. Some of these integral and ingrained rights that we as humans feel we have get in the way of progress a large amount of the time. Some rights are inalienable and are necessary in order to ensure our humanity, but others are simply luxuries instilled in our psyche by the lack of government control that we have experienced in the past. With the large amount of growing technologies stricter regulations must be instilled to ensure the stability of nations, monitoring communications is a relatively minor thing compared to what I feel will come in the future and should be taken as a preview as to what this rapid technological advancement will bring. This concession will bring about greater stability and ensure that those breaking the laws that we hold so sacred in our society are brought to justice. Innocent people are affected minimally if at all.
Mrs. E
9/9/2015 06:57:14 am
Very insightful and thoughtful response. Thank you, Kyle.
Damian Prajer
9/8/2015 09:26:40 pm
Now more then ever, our safety as a nation is imperative to maintaining the society we live in today. The world as we know it continues to dig deeper into the pits of turmoil. The United States has established themselves as being the worlds super power. This title held puts us at the epicenter of all affairs plaguing our world. We continue to try and protect as well as preserve unity. However with great successes, come eminent failures. These downfalls being events such as 9/11 and the Boston Bombings. A target has been put on our backs. This therefore, gives the government not an option, rather a duty to ensure and establish the best protection possible to United States citizens. This proving that our safety is more important than privacy. Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
English 12 Blog
Please respond to the question in at least 10 ArchivesCategories |
RSS Feed
