The relationship discussed between privacy and security cannot be mentally visualized. This is so because what some people often regard as the requisite security measures is regarded by another person as unnecessary limitations on their privacy. The reason would be at times be people do not have the clear mind on what increased or diminished privacy mean. Privacy therefore, is defined through different dimensions, for example, with reference to personal integrity, intimacy, right to stay alone, right to have security in one’s communication with their counterparts or the measure of controlling one’s information. Generally, it concerns the control over individual’s information in an attempt to foster privacy. On the other hand, security is linked to surveillance and therefore, means that privacy is compromised. National security is geared towards ensuring social benefits to the nationals in terms of monitoring crime whereas privacy is linked to people’s right to information.
Debating on what is important between privacy and national security, people have different perspectives. Firstly, national security is vital compared to privacy provided that the government protects its citizens’ rights. Nonetheless, excessive techniques of intrusion into personal privacy is unwarranted when not necessary. For instance, the government should only deal with the personal information of suspected criminals but not follow up other people’s data who are not part of the crime cases. This could lead to ethical issues erupting over again.
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Moreover, it is evident that national security risks have taken a global trajectory. For instance, a person’s credit card information can be tampered with through the internet by properly organized gangs. This means that the social benefits for the citizens are far much greater and thus, the government needs proper surveillance into people’s privacy to eke out information that could be harmful or pose as a national risk and deal with the suspects immediately. For instance, the September 11 th terror attacks needed proper response of information-sharing by the government and not about more data.
In addition, national security is more important with regards to knowing the welfare of people. The government needs to have the personal data of individuals in order to know who and what regions need to be provided with the necessary social services, health care or education. Even though this can be seen by people as a poor strategy to invade into personal privacy, it helps greatly as what the government follows up is the client’s privacy. Moreover, national security is of importance regarding what people watch and therefore, intrusion into privacy is vital to know if one is getting sensitive information on how to harm themselves or others.
On the other hand, privacy is essential when drawing boundaries. One of the reasons why privacy is regarded more important concerns the constitutional rights of expression. The government needs to address the matter concerning security constitutionally. The constitution has provided everyone with the right to information. Therefore, in case of the government requiring personal data from any citizen, they should be procedural and ethical when referring to personal data as it is against the constitution to infringe into one’s affairs. People often value their rights that provide them with comfort and inner peace.
In conclusion, national security is more important than privacy as argued out. The government needs enough CCTV cameras where the general public visits more often as a measure of surveillance and thus would limit the access into innocent people’s information. As a result, they protect the citizens from unworthy targets. Nonetheless, the government needs to come up with measures to counter attack terror.
