We are going to learn more about what the main idea is and example of supporting details to back it up.
The topic in this case is video surveillance, a security measure which has fans and detractor.
Read the topic carefully and then complete the exercise
Key Vocabulary
These are some words that you should understand before making the first attempts of reading the text.
| Surveillance | To blanket |
| Law Enforcement | misuse |
| Tools | Purposes |
| Prejudice | Biases |
| To spy | Temptations |
| Powerful | troubling |
| To deploy | dangers |
The Case Against Video Surveillance
The use of sophisticated systems by police and other public security officials is particularly troubling in a democratic society however the impulse to blanket our public spaces and streets with video surveillance is a bad idea.
- Surveillance systems present law enforcement “bad apples” with a tempting opportunity for criminal misuse
- Powerful surveillance tools also create temptations to abuse them for personal purposes
- Video camera systems are operated by humans who bring to the job all their existing prejudices and biases.
- Male operators frequently use the cameras to voyeuristically spy on women
The benefits of deploying public video cameras must be balanced against the costs and dangers.
Exercise
Re-read the 4 reasons why video surveillance is bad idea and add the number to the sentences which are example of what it is describe in reasons 1, 2, 3 and 4
