5- Surveillance/Law Enforcement

People are Always Watching 

     Everywhere we go we are under surveillance whether it be Walmart, school campuses, elevators, work buildings, etc.. I recently had a odd checkout experience where I got accused of trying bag something without scanning when in reality I hadn't even attempted to scan it yet. The craziest part was when the lady came to see what the problem was it showed me scanning things from an angle above me and thats the first time I noticed cameras are located above every checkout counter in Walmart. You would think all of this surveillance would stop people from being stupid, you would be wrong instead now we get to see all the dumb things people do. Technology like Ring and Nest have "normalized American surveillance". People like Margaret Cudia actually enjoy watching the day to day life through her doorbell cam. She can now see all the people that lurk around her house and capture her porch pirates. What she didn't take into account was all the awkward things she would catch on camera like her daughter sneaking alcohol and saying her mom was way too controlling. New people are purchasing products like Ring every day allowing people to see what happening in and around their house every hour of of the day. A lot of people have joined the club of personal security for their home. A survey was recently done where most people claimed to have purchased these products for certain reason The Washington Post surgery came to the conclusion that "Most of those who responded to online solicitations about their camera use said they had bought the cameras to check on package deliveries and their pets, and many talked glowingly about what they got in return: security, entertainment, peace of mind. Some said they worried about hackers, snoops or spies." However, opening up to this new age of technology poses new threats like the one ring placed in her 8 year old daughters bedroom was hacked and her daughter was harassed by the hacker. 

   

     They make some home surveillance systems that are specifically for pets like Furbo. Which is an interactive pet camera that runs about $200 to buy straight from their website. This new interactive camera has the option for pet owners to send their pets treats even if they are far from home. Their newest product is the Furbo Dog Nanny which is different to others as it sends owners specific dog related alerts. The newest features include cloud recording, smart alert, doggie diary, and home emergency alert. Furbo has a 90 day free trial  for all their products right now. This pet centered surveillance system is also able to detect things like smoke or carbon monoxide warning. Even though this seems like a ridiculous product since this system has a dog selfie alert that will send you a picture of your dog if they are sitting in front of the camera. I know what you're thinking that pet cameras aren't for home security but that is not the case. In Warner, New Hampshire a Furbo camera captured the faces of two burglars robbed a suburban home in broad daylight. The family was able to notify law enforcement as the event was occurring due to the pet cam technology. Since the smart cam send the owners alerts when their dog is barking they checked their phones and immediately called for emergency services. 

This shows that the always evolving technology for any kind of surveillance has the ability to keep us safe. Doorbell cams are catching package thieves, lurkers, and burglars. Some people may believe that this surveillance is making privacy impossible but if crime rates continue to grow a smart camera can potentially catch the criminals or even save your life. In a world of constant surveillance we need to understand that this will keep us all safer in a world of crime.