The Trade-Off Between Privacy and Security in a Surveillance State

Privacy is essential for individuals to have control over who has access to the intimate details of their lives. In a surveillance state, this control is lost, leading to a lack of discretion and individuality. Privacy also fosters a diversity of voices and allows for the development of creativity and eccentricity. Losing privacy for the sake of security comes at the cost of losing the ability to define oneself and relate to others. The COVID pandemic has highlighted people's true views on freedom versus security. The situation revealed how quickly individuals were willing to sacrifice privacy for safety.