Privacy and surveillance

The Circle by Dave Eggers presents a world in which a huge technology company is trying to bring an end to personal privacy through constant surveillance. When users take a photo or video, it is stored permanently and publicly on The Circle’s servers and made available to everyone. Nothing can be deleted. 

The Circle pushes the idea that when everyone knows that they could be watched at any time, the world will be a safer place because people will be held accountable for their actions. Eamon Bailey believes that constant surveillance means crime will be made almost non-existent. The invention of SeeChange – tiny portable cameras that can be placed anywhere in the world to record footage constantly – means anyone could be watched at any time, even if they do not know it. 

Bailey asks Mae to imagine a world where there are no secrets at any level and asks ...