Somebody's Eyes are Watching

There has been a lot in the news this weekend that has to worry the civil libertarians in the US.


This weekend, a couple of articles appeared on the Internet regarding the Obama Campaign's technology advantage through the use of data mining and online organization to target voters, in the same fashion that Facebook and Google target their users to receive specific advertisements. Also in the news, the use of high resolution cameras by Apple and Google are planning on being used to update their map programs in the interest of users.

Technology may give its users a leg up, may expedite their job, as well as make it more successful, but the problem that many civil libertarians have is that its use forces members of society to always be "on" and/or watching their backs. We have seen this occur with newer forms of technology like EZ-Pass. Similar to the questions about the TSA, there is also the fear the information gained from this use of technology may be used for other purposes irrelevant to the task at hand, and this is the primary fear of many civil libertarians out there.

I am a proponent of technology, as well as keeping updated with it. Among students, technology is considered a second language, therefore, it is imperative to stay as current as possible. In my position as an educator, not only do I apply the use of technology in the classroom, but I always teach its responsible use, as in the 21st century, proper technology use is considered a new area of ethics. It is my hope that Obama's Campaign, Romney's campaign, Apple and Google will use technology in the proper forms, while public pressure and legal proceedings act as a strong deterrent against any possible misuse.