Persuasive Essay On Privacy Vs Security

" Currently in America most people own a smart phone, some carry laptops, and many have GPS in their cars. It is impossible to escape technology, and it is highly likely that you could be tracked every time you step out of your front door. Americans want the right to privacy, but they also want to feel secure. Bottom line, the debate is privacy vs. security. In our US Government class, we learned about the important contributions of the philosopher John Locke. He believed that we are all born with certain rights. His Social Contract Theory explains that people agree to give up some of these rights in exchange for safety and security, thus the reason we created government to begin with. It is a thin line between the people's right to privacy and maintaining national security. In order to keep Americans safe, and protect the rights and prosperity of its citizens, The United States government …show more content…
Further, the shootings in Paris in late 2015, are another example of events that could have been prevented if the government was more diligent in their surveillance programs. If our government officials had been more aggressive in these instances, they may have been prevented. By looking for key words online (after identifying those with terrorist backgrounds or connections ), experts could have potentially taken preventative action. This could help keep Americans safe. Further, in June of 2013, Edward Snowden (a government contractor) leaked information to the press about government surveillance of online information. This created a panic in some Americans and fueled this debate. Some felt that this is a good way to prevent cyber crime and promote safety, others felt their privacy was violated. Many polls were conducted with the end result being that Americans are divided on the