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Audio Surveillance Essay Audio Surveillance is implemented with the use of a tape recorder. This method is only effective when one is sure of the origin of the attack and may be used to gather information about a particular activity taking place or how it took place. Telephone conversations may also be recorded to provide security. Models that may be used could include High Tech voice recorders, Tube mike, radio mikes and so on. The modern ESS (Electronic Switching System) is also available to tap into people’s phone lines without having to visit the location physically. Phone Tapping and Encryption Phone tapping is normally used for the protection of national security and prevention of serious crimes. When a phone is tapped, it is possible to listen to conversations from both sides of the telephone. Voice and Word Pattern Recognition In this method of surveillance, an organization uses a central computer to monitor conversations that contain voice patterns and key words that an agency is interested in. This technology involves digital sampling of speech, acoustic signal processing and special analysis. Transmitter Location Transmitter location is used anytime a telephone or mobile phone is involved in an investigation and is used to detect the location of the user. This can be achieved by triangulation and some other innovative methods. E-mail at Workplace Personal messages sent via an organization’s e-mails are not private. Reading employee’s emails may help to alert organizations about possible terrorist activities or sabotage that may be going on within the organization. Electronic Databases Databases containing information about residents within a particular area, biometrics. directories, voter registration records and many other databases present within an organization can help to provide relevant information on terrorism. The Internet Many organizations, individuals and so on, have access to the internet and are able to share information via this global network. Websites that offer social networking features should be continuously checked for possible terrorist correspondence. Challenges of Surveillance Technology Privacy is one of the major issues being faced by operators of businesses and organizations across the world. Surveillance Technologies pose a threat to them because people are unsure of how far vendors are willing to go to sell their products without risking confidential data. This constitutes a threat to commercial businesses (Bogonikolos). Privacy is a big issue and a significant constraint in the deployment of surveillance systems because most people see it as a right that they possess. Privacy has a lot of dimensions and some of the dimensions include: Privacy of the person, personal behaviour, personal communications, data and so on (Bogonikolos). The future of Surveillance Technology In recent times, almost all information is exchanged through electronic means, i. e. via telephone, email and so for this reason, wiretapping capabilities are being incorporated into surveillance systems (Bogonikolos). A continuous education strategy may help to achieve an online data and privacy protection strategy. Global e-commerce has changed the way trade is being conducted all over the world. This had led to the increased complexity of Surveillance Technologies. Enhanced wiretapping capabilities are being incorporated into surveillance technologies and so electronic commerce is getting more and more attention. New technologies for analyzing large amounts of data such as credit card information, online transactions can also help to identify unusual purchasing patterns and relationships (Bogonikolos). Conclusion To operate successfully online and protect countries from attack, we need to assure people that their data is safe and protected from misuse such as unauthorized access, alteration, total loss, and misappropriation (Bogonikolos). After all has been said and done, it can be argued that technology has both negative and positive sides to it. When used for the benefit of society, technology can be seen as a positive contribution to society but when it is used by miscreants to cause havoc to innocent people and unsuspecting organizations, it becomes a disadvantage. The fact remains that it is difficult, if not impossible to stop the misuse of technology but one thing that can help us all is to continually keep ahead of the terrorists by conducting research on state-of the art technologies and inventing new media and surveillance technologies that can help to combat the evils of terrorism. Works Cited Bogonikolos, Nikos. Development of Surveillance Technology and Risk of Abuse of Economic Information. Interim Study. 1999.