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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIndiscriminate surveillance fosters distrust, conformity and mediocrity: research
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/08/26/indiscriminate-surveillance-fosters-distrust-conformity-and-mediocrity-research/Recent disclosures about the scope of government surveillance are staggering. We now know that the UKs Tempora program records huge volumes of private communications, including as standard our emails, social networking activity, internet histories, and telephone calls. Much of this data is then shared with the US National Security Agency, which operates its own (formerly) clandestine surveillance operation. Similar programs are believed to operate in Russia, China, India, and throughout several European countries. While pundits have argued vigorously about the merits and drawbacks of such programs, the voice of science has remained relatively quiet. This is despite the fact that science, alone, can lay claim to a wealth of empirical evidence on the psychological effects of surveillance. Studying that evidence leads to a clear conclusion and a warning: indiscriminate intelligence-gathering presents a grave risk to our mental health, productivity, social cohesion, and ultimately our future.
Surveillance impairs mental health and performance
For more than 15 years weve known that surveillance leads to heightened levels of stress, fatigue and anxiety. In the workplace it also reduces performance and our sense of personal control. A government that engages in mass surveillance cannot claim to value the wellbeing or productivity of its citizens.
Surveillance promotes distrust between the public and the state
People will trust an authority to the extent that it is seen to behave in their interest and trust them in return. Research suggests that people tolerate limited surveillance provided they believe their security is being bought with someone elses liberty. The moment it becomes clear that they are in fact trading their own liberty, the social contract is broken. Violating this trust changes the definition of us and them in a way that can be dangerous for a democratic authority suddenly, most of the population stands in opposition to their own government.
SamKnause
(13,087 posts)Those who should be under surveillance 24/7..................................................................
Politicians; corrupt people who implement the laws of our corporate overlords
Wall Street; inside traders and ponzi scheme operators
Military Brass; those responsible for empire building the world over
Supreme Court; paid puppets that enact legislation that protects corporations over the needs and wants of this country and it's people
All watch dog groups whose sole purpose is to protect the rights of we the people
Our militarized police; they should be forced to wear cameras with audio at all times
Judges; a country with a corrupt justice system can not function properly
Chamber of Commerce; an organization this country would be wise to get rid of
The Federal Reserve; self explanatory
Lobbyists; paid shills that have destroyed our government and election process
Maybe, just maybe if we could get these groups to be held accountable we could turn this country around.