The proliferation of criminal activities has resulted in the increased use of surveillance cameras. The usefulness of these systems is debatable, as some people believe that these equipment limits our freedom. This essay will discuss the benefits and disadvantages and why it is better to continue using video cameras in public places.
Primarily, there are two reasons why many people subscribe to installation of close circuit systems in public places. Firstly, the availability of these monitoring devices have helped reduce the incidence of crime as people with bad intentions will be deterred from carrying out their evil acts, due to fear that they could be easily identified. For example, The nation newspaper reported a forty percent reduction in cases of phone theft reported in the Onikan area of Lagos due to the existence of cameras. Secondly, the presence of these recording facilities has also assisted in locating missing persons. When an individual has been declared lost, authorities can use them in finding such individual by monitoring cameras located at different locations within the neighbourhood.
Despite the advantages explained above, some disadvantages have also been identified. To begin, it is argued that the privacy of members of the society is compromised due to the presence of cameras in our streets. Some of these could visualise some indoor activities through windows, thereby exposing what could be considered private affairs. Also, considering that this involves the use of information technology, it is therefore highly susceptible to hacking. Hackers may capitalise on vulnerabilities of these infrastructures to steal confidential videos which can be used for criminal activities.
In conclusion, having considered the positive and negative aspects of installing CCTV systems, the advantages outweighs the disadvantages as the improved security and tracking assistance that is catered for by these systems overrides any disadvantage that could exist in the form of privacy intrusion and data theft.
The proliferation of criminal activities has resulted in the increased
use
of surveillance
cameras
. The usefulness of these
systems
is debatable, as
some
people
believe that these equipment limits our freedom. This essay will discuss the benefits and disadvantages and why it is better to continue using video
cameras
in public places.
Primarily
, there are two reasons why
many
people
subscribe to installation of close circuit
systems
in public places.
Firstly
, the availability of these monitoring devices have
helped
reduce
the incidence of crime as
people
with
bad
intentions will
be deterred
from carrying out their evil acts, due to fear that they could be
easily
identified.
For example
, The nation newspaper reported a forty percent reduction in cases of phone theft reported in the
Onikan
area of Lagos due to the existence of
cameras
.
Secondly
, the presence of these recording facilities has
also
assisted in locating missing persons. When an individual has
been declared
lost, authorities can
use
them in finding such individual by monitoring
cameras
located at
different
locations within the
neighbourhood
.
Despite the advantages
explained
above,
some
disadvantages have
also
been identified
. To
begin
, it
is argued
that the privacy of members of the society
is compromised
due to the presence of
cameras
in our streets.
Some
of these could
visualise
some
indoor activities through windows, thereby exposing what could
be considered
private affairs.
Also
, considering that this involves the
use
of information technology, it is
therefore
highly
susceptible to hacking. Hackers may
capitalise
on vulnerabilities of these infrastructures to steal confidential videos which can be
used
for criminal activities.
In conclusion
, having considered the
positive
and
negative
aspects of installing CCTV
systems
, the advantages outweighs the disadvantages as the
improved
security and tracking assistance that
is catered
for by these
systems
overrides any
disadvantage
that could exist in the form of privacy intrusion and data theft.