Transcripts
forget how public they are making their words and behave as though they are chatting to a friend at a party. And it’s not just what we say online that can get us into trouble, it’s also the photos we show. In the past, our photos were kept in albums, or put up on the walls in our house. But today we share some of our most personal photos on social media sites. And, often, we post these photos of ourselves and our friends, without thinking about the hundreds or thousands of people who will see them. Other friends, family, colleagues … even bosses … And while we all try to make sense of the blurred line between our own private and public lives, what about those of us who have no control? A recent survey in the UK found that the average child will have featured in one thousand photos online by their fifth birthday. One thousand photos! What will these children think when they are teenagers, to find out that their whole childhood has been published for everyone to see? In France, parents can be fined for publishing intimate photos of their children online without their permission. In order to protect children’s privacy, should the French model be adopted around the world? What do you think? And it’s not just online where our privacy is being threatened. Our right to privacy in the physical world is also under threat due to emerging technology. Take drones for example. Over the last few years they have become smaller, lighter and cheaper. On the plus side, this has meant anyone can take the sort of photos that were previously limited to professionals with helicopters. Take this beautiful photo of a beach, for example. Lovely. Imagine you are on this beach, relaxing, soaking up the sun. What’s that annoying buzzing noise? It seems to be getting closer. And then you see it … a drone is circling overhead. Now imagine the drone starts to come down, lower and lower. Suddenly, it’s hovering just a few metres above your head! That is a serious invasion of your privacy! … and you have no idea who is controlling the drone. For thousands of years we have protected ourselves from prying eyes. We have erected fences and walls to stop people seeing into our gardens. We’ve built houses with bedrooms and bathrooms on the second floor, so people can’t see in. With the invention of drones, these physical barriers have been torn down. It’s a whole new ball game! So, what laws do you think should be introduced about the use of drones by members of the public? And while you may be worried about individuals’ use of drones, you should perhaps be more concerned with how they are used by the state. Law enforcement agencies around the world are increasingly turning to drones as tools for fighting crime. After all, drones are relatively cheap and the bird’s eye view they provide is perfect for recording evidence of criminal activity, such as smuggling, shown here between Iran and Oman. The problem, however, is that drones are not only being used to target specific people. Increasingly, they fly above cities, recording everything they see. And, inevitably, they are capturing footage of the public harmlessly going about their day-to-day business. Just as there
is controversy over traditional CCTV, many people are unhappy about having their daily activities recorded by the state. All of this leads us to a dilemma that is not new to the 21st century – how much privacy are we willing to give up to the state in exchange for safety and security? Throughout history, governments have kept an eye on their citizens. But in the 21st
century, due to a number of technological
advances, the potential for mass surveillance is greater than ever. In the digital age, as we go about our daily lives we are all creating masses of data, and each of us is leaving huge digital footprints. Our phone records, the websites we visit and even the words we type into search engines – everything is recorded. There are records of our movements thanks to software that recognises our cars’ number plates and our public transport tickets. Data is collected about where we use our shopping loyalty cards. Once this data is linked up, a detailed picture of our daily lives can be created. There are many real-life examples of how this information has been used by police to catch criminals, but what about the rest of us? Is it fair that we are being watched when we aren’t breaking the law? Supporters of mass surveillance will say, ‘The world is becoming more and more dangerous. And if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear.’ But do you agree? It is one of the biggest dilemmas that society faces in the 21st
century
– how do we find the balance between public safety and our right to privacy?
Unit 11
11.1 Conversation 1 Interviewer What social networking sites do you use? Saif
Interviewer How often do you Skype? Saif
I use Facebook and Skype mainly and I also have Instagram. I’m from Dubai so it’s really important for me to keep in contact with relatives and friends back home.
I Skype every weekend when I know my family are at home. The connection isn’t always brilliant but I like being able to talk to my little brother and see if he’s changed at all. I guess I spend about an hour a day on social media including Skype.
Interviewer How do you use Facebook? Saif
Whenever I have my laptop on, I have Facebook open. If a friend posts a photo, I usually comment on it or send a like. It doesn’t take me long, and it lets my friends know I’m still thinking of them even though I’m so far away. I post a lot of updates and photos, too, so that my friends know what is happening in my life.
Interviewer What about Instagram? Saif
Photography is one of my big interests. I always have my camera with me when I go out and,
English for the 21st Century • Transcripts 207
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182 |
Page 183 |
Page 184 |
Page 185 |
Page 186 |
Page 187 |
Page 188 |
Page 189 |
Page 190 |
Page 191 |
Page 192 |
Page 193 |
Page 194 |
Page 195 |
Page 196 |
Page 197 |
Page 198 |
Page 199 |
Page 200 |
Page 201 |
Page 202 |
Page 203 |
Page 204 |
Page 205 |
Page 206 |
Page 207 |
Page 208 |
Page 209 |
Page 210 |
Page 211 |
Page 212 |
Page 213 |
Page 214 |
Page 215 |
Page 216 |
Page 217 |
Page 218 |
Page 219 |
Page 220 |
Page 221 |
Page 222 |
Page 223 |
Page 224
