Beware the normalization of surveillance

After two decades plus of post-9/11 “security” measures, our acclimation to being constantly spied upon is a problem unto itself.

I just belatedly stumbled across a powerful quote about privacy from lawyer and activist Albert Fox Cahn. In a TED talk last year, he recounts how public attitudes have changed since his early encounters with the New York Police Department in particular:

“As a teenage protester, NYPD camcorders shoved in my face, I saw surveillance as a threat. And people thought my fears were something out of science fiction. Today they increasingly think that surveillance is inevitable, and that privacy is the fantasy.”

But Cahn ultimately sees that shift as reason for optimism. Alluding to the ways that mass surveillance has been turbocharged by the internet over the years, he adds:

“It had to get this bad for the denial to break, and for the public to act.”

I truly hope Cahn is right about that. I’m not so sure myself, to be honest.

To play devil’s advocate, one could also argue that people’s resignation to surveillance is ultimately emboldening companies and government agencies to become more aggressive over time in their information gathering.

Yes, some people have been moved to action to make the situation better. But have there really been enough of us? If so, why does Facebook still have over 3 billion monthly active users, for example?

At any rate, I’m glad to say this isn’t the first time I’ve highlighted Cahn’s important work in the newsletter. Previously I was struck in particular by an essay he wrote for Wired in 2021 about America’s sharp increase in surveillance after the 9/11 terror attacks, ostensibly to increase everyone’s protection against similar threats.

As the 23rd anniversary of the attacks approaches Wednesday, I think it’s worth us all re-visiting that trade-off again. Honestly, I for one have serious doubts America is safer now than on Sept. 10, 2001.

However, I am certain that article of Cahn’s about civil liberties holds up pretty well three years on. And I know that’s really hard for any writer to do.

This post is adopted from w3w, my newsletter about emerging technology over on Substack. To receive it in your inbox every Sunday, including additional headlines from around the internet about web3, AI, and more, subscribe here. 😊