GS4 · 10 marks · 150 words

The increasing use of digital surveillance technologies for maintaining law and order is a debatable issue. Critically examine the statement from the ethical point of view.

Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2025

Technology and EthicsDimensions of EthicsLaw and Morality

Syllabus: Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in-human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics - in private and public relationships. Human Values - lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators; role of family society and educational institutions in inculcating values.

How toppers approached it

From all 4 answers · about 180 words · 25% drew a diagram.

Opening

  • No separate opening3 of 4
  • A quotation1 of 4

Body

  • Points4 of 4

Close

  • A way forward4 of 4

The toppers’ answers

Ishan BhatnagarAIR 5 · CSE 2025 · 194 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening

Increasing use of digital surveillance tech is a two edged sword - driving efficient law enforcement but raising privacy concerns.

Body · points

Efficacy of law enforcement

1> Evidentiary value of video evidence u/ BSA → recording traffic violations, abuse of power etc.

2> Digital Surveillance of conversations → unearthing conspiracy, organized crime → eg. NCRB drug busts.

3> Digital Surveillance of public places → women's safety and quick response → eg. 'We him you' app.

4> Used in counter-terror to track radicalization over social media → eg. ISIS Telegram groups

concerns

Close · a way forward

1> Facial Recognition Tech → citizen profiling → pointed out by Internet Freedom Foundation.

2> Access to private chats, search history → violation of digital privacy as per K.S. Puttaswamy case.

3> "thought monitoring" by internet monitoring → "big brother" effect & thought policing.

4> Treating people as "means to an end" (collective security) and not "ends in themselves".

5> violates Frankl's doctrine of "looking for the best in people" since it assumes the worst.

Hence, deployment of such technology should be based on principle of necessity (ECHR) → infringement of privacy should be only to the extent strictly necessary to uphold security of all.

More on Technology and Ethics

Obligation raised by a technology rather than by a person: artificial intelligence and algorithmic decisions, facial recognition and digital surveillance, data privacy and consent, social media's effect on attitudes, autonomous weapons, gene editing and bioethics, and the regulation of any of them.

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