Blog Assignment #5: Big Brother Is Watching You

I believe it is good to have all the new technology we have today, with cameras, cell phones and internet. If I didn’t have our camera, I would miss out on recording our beautiful baby daughter’s progress. This is so fun to have for us and our family. With cell phones you can reach someone when you are outside. This is a security for me if something happens, for example, if the car breaks down.
With the internet everything is just a click away. You can order almost everything you need without having to leave your home. This is much better when I get stressed in stores trying on clothes or shoes. Much better to have it shipped to you in a box (not good for the environment though…).

To have recordings of our life together is one way to use a camera. You might also have use for it in stores to keep track of any occurrence. It could be if someone commits a crime. Then it can be helpful to go back and check the surveillance tape. Straight across our apartment building lies a small candy and tobacco shop. A few months ago when I was putting our daughter to bed, I heard a sound, like a window braking. I looked out the window and saw a man come out of the shop with the cashbox, running towards another man and disappearing behind a corner. I called the police and almost immediately after, they picked up two men who fitted my given description. Unfortunately I didn’t see their faces and they were released later on. If there had been a surveillance camera, maybe it had been enough to arrest the robbers.

I believe on the other hand that there can be too much of everything. Too much surveillance can prohibit people from going in to shops. When we were in the U.S, I didn’t dare to go inside the Louis Vuitton store because of the security guard standing outside. He looked big and scary.

It is also a bit unpleasant to hand over your personal life on the computer. I don’t know everything there is to now about computers; still I give away my personal number as well as my VISA-card number if I am buying something.
With a cell phone you sometimes don’t get the privacy you want. You can shut it off but then you might feel an obligation to answer, even if you are on vacation. One thing I am very careful with is pictures. I never upload too personal pictures on myself, my family or anyone else.

I believe however that we need to cling on to the fast growth of technology to keep up with everyday life. Luckily we can adapt quickly to every change in the society.