Video Cameras: Crime Prevention Tool or Invasion of Privacy

Video cameras were great when they first began. They became inexpensive enough that individuals could purchase one to record memories, and significant events. However, as time has gone on cameras have become so inexpensive that they are everywhere, and recording everything. Any thing you do is recorded on some camera. There are cameras in almost every public building as well as in many private buildings, cameras are at most intersections, and even in satellites, there is no way to avoid being seen.

Most people don't worry about these cameras as they help law enforcement to protect against criminals and a video is great evidence at a trial. The cameras can also be used for bad though; many people can access the cameras and use them for bad. They can watch people without a good reason for doing so, and that is not good for the general public's safety.

Cameras also create a false sense of security. If you have cameras watching everything you assume that either no one will do anything or they will be caught. This is not true; simply wearing a mask can prevent a criminal, who was seen on video committing a crime, from being caught. Also the image on the monitor isn't always accurate, as can be seen in many movies it isn't as hard as one would think to change the camera monitors to play a loop where nothing is out of place while intruders take whatever they want undetected.

Webcams are also a negative aspect to inexpensive cameras. While they were created to allow people to talk to each other "face to face" without actually being in the same place, they are now used for different purposes. These cameras can even be hacked through your computer and people can view your camera without you even knowing even when you think the camera is off.

There are too many cameras throughout the world watching people all the time. People should be entitled to having privacy and not always being watched. While cameras can be very useful in preventing crime and catching criminals, they can also be used for purposes that aren't as good. There should be a reduction in cameras or people will have to accept that nothing is private anymore. No one will be able to hide anything in the future; this will help society but at the same time hurt it. Privacy is over, be prepared for anyone to know what you did last night, because they probably do.