Opinion | Editorials

Tighter security has pros and cons

The difficult question to answer is about the breach of individual privacy.

  • Gulf News
  • Published: 00:04 August 1, 2008
  • Gulf News

Privacy issues are coming more to the fore as technology improves. In Europe for instance, major city centres are closely monitored by surveillance cameras the use of which has widespread public support. But that does not mean that all concerns about the use of gathered data have been answered. At what point are individual rights subjugated for the greater good of society?

This is a difficult question to answer at the best of times but in an era that is all too accustomed to terror outrages, it is perhaps harder to come up with a definitive answer. The benefits of technology, either in finance or in security, have improved living standards in many countries but the danger lies in complacency. Data-laden disks have been stolen in the UK for example due to, ironically, lax security. If society places its trust in technology then those who are empowered to look after it must meet the highest standards.


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