Constant surveillance of our lives

There is constant surveillance of our lives. Whether you’re walking down the street, making a phone call or sitting behind a computer, there is always someone watching or recording our moves. As I attempted to find a video clip showing the constant surveillance of our everyday lives, I stumbled upon a website called earthcam.com. As if the constant surveillance and cameras throughout the city for the purpose of terrorist threats and what is claimed to be for our protection isn’t enough. Surveillance is being watched over to protect and enforce social control of criminal activities and most recently to monitor for terrorist activities.
Now not only think about what you put out on the internet but what about the things you don’t put on the internet? Like the cameras watching you at the intersection of Christopher Street and 7th avenue streaming to the people at home on their computers on the website cnyclive.com. The people at home get to watch you at that intersection and the surrounding store with the power to control the direction of the camera and even zoom in.
An article from 2001 on the wired.com mentioned websites such as beer (dot) com, which is not currently a valid URL. This site allowed people at home to watch what was happening at participating bars online. Bar owners claimed that it allowed their usual customers to see if other frequent customers were at the bar. Some bars didn’t even notify the customers at the bar that their actions were being streamed live over the bars webcam.
Websites such as cnyclive.com and beer (dot) com make us aware to the fact that we may not know when we are being watched so we constantly have to be surveilling ourselves. The idea of the panopticon now becomes a major part of our life. The idea that you are constantly being surveilled causes you to be self disciplined. These websites should also raise questions as to what should and shouldn’t be private. Though we may not be partaking in private actions in the street, does that mean its okay for it to be broadcasted throughout the world?