Surveillance


 * Surveillance**
 * By: Radhika Bhagwanji 12KD**

Surveillance is the use of IT to ** monitor the actions **, behavior and changing of information of and by people. This is usually done via government organizations to observe individuals or groups taking part in an illegal or inappropriate action.
 * What is Surveillance?**

There are a variety of ways that surveillance can take place and they can take place in different places too:


 * Computer Surveillance:** This includes ** monitoring the data and traffic on the Internet **. As there is too much data for a human to physically handle, the data on the Internet is searched, identified and reported by automated Internet surveillance computers. These then report information containing certain 'trigger' words or phrases back to human investigators.

Surveillance of phone lines is done by ** tapping **. Nearly all calls can be monitored, however human agents are not required to monitor most calls. There is certain software such as speech-to-text software, which intercepts audio and creates machine-readable text. Then, only if a conversation includes certain words, will the call be dedicated to a human agent. Also, mobile phones can be used to** collect location data **, which is done by finding out the geographical location of the phone. However, there are controversies in the US as to whether these techniques are legal or not.
 * Telephones:**

These are ** video cameras **, which are used for the sole purpose of ** monitoring ** an area, and the people involved in activities around this area. These cameras are connected to either a recording device, IP network or they are watched by security. CCTV cameras are used to identify where people have been through in a city and with whom they have met. This information can be very useful in cases.
 * Surveillance Cameras:**

Every human being has his or her ** own unique identity **. Facial patterns, fingerprints and DNA are used to identify a person and this information can be used for different purposes. Software such as facial recognition and fingerprint scanning can also have simpler uses such as just registering a book from the library in your name. (fingerprint scanning) media type="youtube" key="CL3Mjn7uAnA" height="315" width="420"
 * Biometric Surveillance:** []

In this generation, surveillance is becoming increasingly important as there are certain unproved acts which need to be monitored and taken care of by the police or government. As a result, increased surveillance would mean that there would be a reduction in the freedom that one gets as they are constantly being monitored once they are out of their private homes. The use of surveillance is a very controversial subject as there are matters of invasion of privacy.

Facts:


 * The use of surveillance cameras by governments and business has dramatically increased over the last 10 years. In the U.K., for example, there are about 4.2 million surveillance cameras - that is 1 camera for every 14 people!
 * The average person gets caught on CCTV atleast 30 times a day, while going out.

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