Watching Your Every Move: The Disturbing Reality of Government Surveillance Technologies and What You Can Do About It.

 



Wow, this is huge news! At The Summit for Democracy2023, 45 governments have come together to endorse new Guiding Principles on Government Use of Surveillance Technologies. As a tech enthusiast and privacy advocate, I'm thrilled to see that governments are taking steps to prevent the misuse of surveillance technologies and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms.


Governments around the world have been increasingly using surveillance technologies to monitor their citizens. While some may argue that it is necessary to protect national security and public safety, these technologies have been misused time and again to violate human rights and restrict access to information. In the worst cases, governments have employed these technologies as part of a broad state apparatus of oppression.


The use of surveillance technologies has been a contentious issue for many years, and it has become more urgent as technology advances and governments become more adept at using it to control their citizens. Many countries, including the United States, have recognized the misuse of these technologies and the need for guidelines that ensure they are used in a responsible and ethical manner.


Why Endorsing Guiding Principles on Government Use of Surveillance Technologies is Critical

The Guiding Principles on Government Use of Surveillance Technologies is a set of guidelines developed by the Freedom Online Coalition that provide clear and concise guidance on how governments should use surveillance technologies. The principles were developed by consensus and endorsed by 44 Summit for Democracy participating states, including the United States as Chairperson. These principles illustrate how governments can maintain their commitment to respect democratic values and protect human rights through the responsible use of surveillance technology.

The 36 members of the Freedom Online Coalition are: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Maldives, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. As part of the second Summit for Democracy, additional governments that endorsed the Guiding Principles are Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Ecuador, Iceland, Kosovo, Malta, and North Macedonia.

The Guiding Principles focus on preventing the misuse of surveillance technologies in three main areas: the use of Internet controls, pairing video surveillance with artificial intelligence-driven tools, and the use of big data analytic tools. These principles are intended to protect human rights and foster transparency, accountability, and civic participation, while effectively and appropriately pursuing legitimate law enforcement, public safety, and national security objectives. Internet controls have been used to restrict access to information, suppress free speech, and limit the ability of citizens to communicate with one another. The Guiding Principles aim to prevent these abuses by ensuring that any restrictions on the internet are necessary, proportionate, and subject to oversight and review. Video surveillance paired with AI tools has been used to track individuals, identify them, and monitor their behavior. This has been done without their knowledge or consent, violating their right to privacy. The Guiding Principles aim to prevent these abuses by ensuring that video surveillance is used in a manner that is necessary, proportionate, and subject to appropriate safeguards. Big data analytics have been used to collect and analyze massive amounts of data on individuals, often without their knowledge or consent. This data has been used to monitor their behavior, make decisions about them, and restrict their freedoms. The Guiding Principles aim to prevent these abuses by ensuring that the collection, analysis, and use of big data is necessary, proportionate, and subject to appropriate safeguards.



No Privacy, No Freedom.

Responsible policies and practices in the use of these technologies are crucial to protect human rights and preventing abuses and fundamental freedoms. The use of surveillance technologies should be transparent, proportionate, and subject to legal safeguards, oversight, and due process. Governments should also ensure that individuals' privacy rights are protected and that they are not subject to arbitrary or unlawful interference with their privacy.
As the world becomes more interconnected and reliant on technology, it is essential that we continue to develop responsible policies and practices for the use of surveillance technologies. The Guiding Principles are an important step in this direction, and we urge governments to endorse and implement them. In conclusion, this is a major win for privacy and human rights, the responsible use of surveillance technologies can be an important tool for protecting national security and public safety. However, their misuse can lead to human rights abuses and violations of privacy. The Guiding Principles on Government Use of Surveillance Technologies provide clear and concise guidelines on how to prevent such misuse and protect human rights. We must work together to ensure that these principles are implemented to protect our fundamental freedoms and democratic values.

By Engr. Gbolahan Alabi-Isama MS.
Location: Lagos, Nigeria

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