Sprouting Landscape of E-Surveillance

Technologies are dominating the whole world as a new culture for present being, which includes various laws, policies, frameworks and procedure which are replacing the older one. The digital world differs materially from the paper world. In the paper world, documents typically are given to administrative staff or office member for filing. Whereas, in the digital world, every computer user who send or receive e-mail, creates word-processing documents, prepares spreadsheets or information slides, or maintains databases which decides whether to store files and has the ability to modify or delete a file.

Surveillance is the method or procedure in which people are usually monitor for their changing behavior, activities and other information for the purpose of persuading, directing, managing or securing them. While, this method includes observing the activities from a distance by means of electronic equipment or interception of electronically transmitted information which consists of different technologies such as cctv cameras, internet traffic, tracing phone calls or locations and other methods. However, In this digital age, it’s safe to assume that every email you send and receives, every social site you visit, or even each and every communication which is done in the form of instant messaging is permanently recorded and accessible to legal parties should they end up presenting legal dilemmas. Electronic data has led to the downfall of personalities which includes politicians, banking executives and even the personalities of reality TV show. Always be careful what you are instructing a computer, as someone is likely to listen or monitoring all your activities.

Criminals and terrorists are now very much aware of common activities of police officials i.e. phone tapping. Hence, they switch their activities by using some advance technologies i.e. instant messaging, e-mails, internet chatting and VoIP (voice over internet). With the advancement in technology criminals and terrorists are also using phenomenon of encryption to avoid any type of interception. If going to the current report of some international bureau about surveillance then it came to know that they noticed certain advance technologies which are used by terrorists to share information with their colleagues. Since, these bureaus gather enough evidence against terrorists groups such as Al-Qaeda, Hamas and Hizbolla have been using computer communication using encryption tools like steganography where a secret message is embedded in a picture message which is sent to other one via internet. Similarly, many of the criminal gangs, drug racketeers, international mafia, money launderers, child pornographers and pedophiles etc. are extensively using computers, internet and encryption technologies. Since, it is necessary for any investigation bureau or any other organization to put surveillance behind any particular whether it is doing any wrong or not. 

The method of surveillance is very useful to governments and law enforcement agencies to maintain social control, recognize and monitor threats, and to investigate criminal activity. However, it is an initial duty of every law enforcement agency to detect and prevent citizens of their country from criminal activities. By putting some efforts in combating crime and maintaining law and order, various tactics of surveillance over suspects or criminals have been in use traditionally all over the world.

However, interception of voice communication and phone tapping are some of the oldest methods of surveillance. With the initiation of some awareness programs and introducing new technology of surveillance such as high speed surveillance computers, biometrics software etc. also provide knowledge of various Law Enforcement Acts and Policies, government now taking powerful steps to monitor activities of their suspects.
 

Akshay Bajpai & Atul Pathak

Para-Legal Volunteer, District Legal Services Authority, Bhopal