As technology continues to advance,
the issue of one’s privacy seems to resurface very often. Cell phone tracking is the latest advancement
that has caused controversy in the United States. Cell phone carriers have the ability to track
the location, data usage, text messages, etc. of their customers. Some customers enjoy the location-tracking
feature of cell phones because they can easily find their children or friends,
nearby places, weather forecasts, or even directions.
The question at stake now is should
law enforcement officials be able to order cell phone companies to give up
real-time tracking of data? As with any
other concern, there are pros and cons to this idea. Of course, the obvious positive to releasing
this information would be that police could use this information to catch
criminals. This evidence could be
critical to an investigation because it could prove or disprove a person’s
alibi. Also, the data could help officers
find missing people, suicide callers, and other people in emergency situations very
quickly.
The citizens of the United States
would have a feeling of safety at all times with this technology being readily
available for law enforcement officers.
However, this issue also has many cons at the same time that must be
taken into consideration. Privacy is
obviously the biggest concern. Yes, cell
phone tracking can help federal officials find and arrest criminals, which, in
the end, is for the greater good of society, but are they “abusing” their right
to this information?
Have you ever had someone just
stare at you for no reason at all? If
so, how did that make you feel? That is
in essence what some police officers do in certain areas of the country. According to CNN, the American Civil
Liberties Union (ACLU) stated that in agreement with their records certain
agencies used this data in nonemergency situations. Also, some agencies request information about
all phones on a certain tower and not just a specific phone. Essentially, innocent Americans are being
tracked by these agencies when they may not be connected to a crime in any
way. Should American citizens feel like
they are being watched 24/7?
Additionally, the ACLU and other organizations feel that these practices
are against the 4th amendment, which addresses how searches should
be conducted in the United States. According
to the New York Times, most law enforcement officials do not obtain search
warrants when requesting and receiving this information. In addition, a
question of morality should be examined when discussing this topic. Is everyone inherently good? What if this
information gets into the hands of the wrong person? This can cause a problem as well, because
with access to this information it could lead to stalking and other problems.
Varying opinions have been shared
on the real-time tracking concern. Some
people feel that we, Americans, already share a great amount of information
about ourselves and our activities through social media, such as Facebook and
Twitter. On the other hand, some people
feel that it is still not acceptable for us to be tracked without our
knowledge. What is your opinion?
Want to read more about this
topic? Look and see what CNN and the New
York Times have to say in the links below.