Watching Over Liberty: Legal And Ethical Dimensions Of Surveillance In The Digital Era
- IJLLR Journal
- May 5
- 1 min read
Dev Maulik Shah, Student, Amity Law School, Noida
Dr. Niharika Singh, Assistant Professor, Amity Law School, Noida
ABSTRACT
The rapid advancement of surveillance technologies in the digital age presents a striking paradox: while they offer unprecedented opportunities for ensuring public safety, national security, and service delivery, they simultaneously pose serious threats to personal freedoms, privacy, and democratic values. From government mass surveillance initiatives to corporate data harvesting operations, surveillance today transcends traditional limitations and enters every aspect of human life — from communications to healthcare, education to finance, and beyond.
This paper critically examines the expanding ecosystem of surveillance, analyzing its legal foundations, ethical dilemmas, psychological impacts, and sociopolitical consequences across different jurisdictions. It highlights regulatory gaps, proposes frameworks for balancing state interests with individual rights, and explores the evolving role of civil society in resisting surveillance overreach. Through a comparative study of global practices and legal standards, it offers comprehensive strategies for establishing transparent, accountable, and human-centric surveillance governance, ensuring that the pursuit of security does not come at the cost of fundamental liberties.
Keywords: Surveillance, Privacy Rights, Digital Autonomy, Data Protection, Surveillance Capitalism, Ethical Governance, Artificial Intelligence, Predictive Policing, National Security, Democracy, Civil Liberties, Oversight Mechanisms.
