Online surveillance tools are employed by law enforcement and intelligence agencies to record, monitor and examine digital activity. These include software programs for online security as well as hardware cameras that connect to a server in order to store and manage data. Surveillance can be used to locate the person, as well as to identify their physical characteristics, and identify any suspicious behaviour. They can be used to detect potential sabotage or theft of sensitive information.
Governments must ensure that the creation and purchase of surveillance technologies and their operation and use, are governed by privacy and human rights principles. This includes safeguarding the autonomy of the body and limiting the amount of data that is collected and stored. This means establishing clear limits on the information that is collected and ensuring that these technologies are only utilized when it is appropriate to achieve legitimate goals within a particular setting, and providing legal guidance to those who are concerned about the use of surveillance technology.
Although authorities may claim that these tools are necessary to fight terrorist acts however, human rights groups argue that the ubiquity of such technologies can lead to the misuse of discretion and power by police officers. Several US agencies have reportedly used surveillance software, such as facial recognition and social media mining to screen citizens and tourists in public areas or to monitor protesters and activists.
BrickHouse Security offers a variety of counter surveillance tools to safeguard privacy and prevent unwanted surveillance. These include portable detectors that can sweep a space in seconds for hidden cameras, and white noise masking devices which prevent recording devices from picking up voices up.