In the famous novel, 1984, the phrase everyone remembers is "Big Brother Is Watching you!" He is. And this is more and more true in 2003. Big Brother, or someone, is not only watching, but they are listening. Have you ever called a company and heard "This conversation may be recorded for training purposes." In other words, someone is listening and maybe recording, every word you say. Now they have cameras on street corners. This is supposed to find cars and drivers who speed through red lights. But, some of these cameras are pointed at pedestrians. There are cities now that openly brag about surveillance cameras on the street. We are being watched.
Go into a mall, and you will find cameras watching. There are cameras at ATMs and in banks. There are cameras in 7-11 stores. There are cameras in most department stores. There are cameras in drug stores. There are cameras in liquor stores. There are cameras in most office building lobbies. Many homes now have cameras as a safeguard.
Our privacy is invaded in other ways, too. People can access information from and about you when you use your computer. Professors put comments about us on school computers which go into files that others may examine. Supposedly, there is a right to privacy, but who can say for certain?
I went to the dictionary to look up the definition of "privacy": "the condition of being confidential". The problem with that loose definition is that what we may consider confidential, someone else may consider important. For example, we have to give phone numbers, social security numbers, and all sorts of so-called personal information when applying for a credit card or making a large purchase. It may be necessary, but it leaves ourselves exposed. We have already seen a lot of stories in the papers about what is called "identity fraud". This is where someone gets hold of your credit card number and other vital personal information and uses it to get...