What is more important our privacy or national security?

 Privacy and security are inter-related concepts and both are essential in our life.  However, privacy or national security is a topic of discussion  since some people suggest that national security is necessary whereas others suggest that privacy is necessary than national security (Chandler, 2009).  In order to understand what is more important between the two, it is important to recognize what is privacy and what is security. Privacy can be defined as a state in which a person has the right to autonomy and control over personal information, places, and things.  Security, on the other hand, can be defined as a state in which people have freedom against potential damage, hostile forces and unwanted change through protection and surveillance (Chandler, 2009). These definitions help understand the root cause of the argument between the two terms since the more the security, the less the privacy. In this discussion, the main argument is that national security is more important than privacy.

 First, it is important to understand that in today's world, technology has brought massive positive and negative impacts on our life.  The new technology has increased threats and terrorism and these negative impacts have introduced the debate on privacy and national security (Chandler, 2009). Focusing on the rise of threats in our modern world, my opinion is that national security is more important than privacy not protect against terrorism but also in other domains. People who support privacy should know that security is a human right and every person is legally entitled to protection against harm and damage.  Privacy is also a human right and every person deserve privacy in order to develop dignity, identities, self-realization, personality, well-being, self-respect, autonomy, and make decisions (Chandler, 2009). However, national security matters more since individuals cannot enjoy privacy without security.  The importance with national security is that its intention is not to interfere with personal privacy but intends threats so that people can enjoy privacy and autonomy, and human security such as political rights, health, economic welfare and basic needs like food and shelter.

  Security is powerful as ensures physical survival through the protection of people and property. For example, when the citizens encounter threats such as armed robberies, murders, terrorist attacks, and even natural disaster, their start to express their grievances to the government and demand for public security (Chandler, 2009). In addition to public security, citizens also demand aviation security such as protection from explosive device and security of airports.  They also demand infrastructure security such as protection of water reservoirs, seaports, nuclear power plant and more (Chandler, 2009). This means that security is a public good and privacy is under security or rather, privacy is achieved when there is security.  An important point is that security maintain privacy and without security, citizens cannot enjoy privacy. Thus security and privacy are closely associated but between the two, security is vital not only in promoting public safety but also in ensuring that human beings access their rights.  For example, citizens need social well-being, economic freedom, data security, freedom of movement, right to life among many rights (Chandler, 2009). However, these rights and privacy cannot be achieved without security and therefore, security is a number one priority, a primary obligation, and a prime value.

  The last point is that privacy is important but it also needs to be monitored or in other words, privacy protection is needed. Note that privacy is threatened by many things such as surveillance cameras, data breaches, cybercrime, identity theft, data collection, and lack of security in the Internet of Things, social networking and more (Laidey, 2015). Note that each person has the right to privacy and in this case, it is the role of the National Security Agency to protect individual privacy by controlling the social media and conduct surveillance. Thus, security is valuable as it ensures social stability and human well-being. Citizens should understand that security is a basic right and individuals cannot survive without national security.

 

 

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Reference

 

Chandler, J. (2009). Privacy versus national security: Clarifying the trade-off. Lessons from the

Identity Trail: Anonymity, Privacy and Identity in a Networked Society, Oxford

University Press, Oxford, 121-138.

 

Laidey, N. M. (2015). Privacy vs. National Security: Where Do We Draw the Line?. World

Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, International Journal of Social,

Behavioral, Educational, Economic, Business and Industrial Engineering, 9(6),

2235-2238.