EOTO #2: TOTAL INFORMATION AWARENESS

 Individuals across the country have more and more of their lives tied to technology, hence the issue of online privacy continues to be one of high relevance. Different political climates as well as matters of national security have often been used as reasons behind mass surveillance and data-mining that is continued to be pushed by the national government. 

 The 9/11 Terrorist Attacks brought the concept of national security to the limelight in which the U.S. government reacted by creating and implementing the Total Information Awareness program. The Bush administration was the driving force in this task as they were pushed for the incorporation of this system across all government agencies. The Total Information Awareness program makes it so one's information is shared and analyzed across various databases which may then profile potential threats. It is important to note that the information that is being accessed includes private information in addition to public information. 

Although at the time, Total Information Awareness was introduced as a means of national protection, it is now clear that there were other underlying intentions as it has lead to issues of violating one's right to privacy. Total Information Awareness was established created 2002 and since that year it has been on an upward trajectory in the creation of manners the government is able to track everything it is doing. 

In order to understand the extent of information the government is able to collect about one should take into account TIA technologies. For starters, "genysis" is a form of technology that allows a mass amount of data to be built upon about a subject. In addition, Human identification has been a very prominent tool as this uses, "automated biometric identification technologies", to identify and individual. Another tool that is heavily is the, "effective affordable reusable speech-to-text" in which technology is used to translate informal communication amongst individuals whether it be over a phone call, broadcast, or text, and makes sense of it so the information can be used. 

It is widely known that almost all of one's actions via technology and online are being tracked, whether by the government or by companies such as Google.When comparing the Total Information Awareness, to the fourth amendment of the constitution it is clear this is not constitutional as the program allows, "warrantless surveillance",  which raises additional concern as to how the premise of this program is still very much an issue today.

 Another constitutional violation that author, Elliot Cohen, points out is the violation of the First Amendment. There are clearly no limits for those who are being watched and this includes journalists. This raises additional concern as people may be less likely to cooperate with journalists for fear that any information exchanged is being followed by the government. In turn this may cause interference in the collection of information for the press and allowing the public to be made aware of things occurring. In Elliot Cohen's book,  "Mass Surveillance and State Control", there are countless pieces of information that brings great awareness for themes that are more relevant today, more than ever.