The word surveillance is French, meaning to watch over. What is surveillance and why is it necessary? Information gathering is for the most part, the motive along with actionable intelligence gathering. Law enforcement agencies, federal and state will monitor certain people in hopes of gathering information to prevent a crime or to solve one. Government agencies routinely keep track of individuals or groups. Generally, the monitoring of a person’s activities is done covertly. However, there are times when it is beneficial to be overt.
You as a citizen can expect to be monitored in one form or fashion whenever in public. There is no real expectation of privacy when in the public arena. This does not mean you are a target specifically. Airports routinely use facial recognition software, and you as a passenger may be subjected to a scan without knowledge.
What is Surveillance and how is it Conducted?
There is electronic surveillance monitoring to include phones, email and Internet chat rooms. The Internet because of its vast reach is monitored with software programmed to recognize specific catch phrases and keywords. Much of the information gathered on the Internet is in the public domain. Laws prohibit the hacking and or monitoring of emails or private communications. Phone lines and emails can be monitored by obtaining a warrant, which requires probable cause.
Foot surveillance is taught in every intelligence agency in the world. Keep in mind people in some countries do not have access to vehicles and any operative in one would stand out. Therefore, it is mandatory training. This type of surveillance requires teams that can switch out the watchers at certain intervals. Checking someone’s activities by pretending to window shop simply does not work. The same face cannot be seen by the subject more than once. Professional surveillance teams have operators ahead of the subject at all times. Individuals are conditioned to look behind them for people following them.
What is Surveillance and Do You have To Worry about Being a Target?
There are certain instances where you may be subjected to surveillance. Working in an industry that has government contracts, in particular defense contracts, can make you a target. Industrial espionage is quite common, and employees that work with trade secrets are routinely monitored. However, most companies will inform any potential employees they may be subjected to random investigations. You, for the most part, are aware of the possibility.
You may be stalked by a scorned partner, or even a current partner may want to verify your whereabouts. Random stalking is rare, that is not to say is does not happen however. You probably can come up with why you might be a possible target of surveillance, if you give it some thought.
Current and retired members of certain government agencies can expect to be under surveillance at some point. This is particularly true of individuals that held a security clearance. Retiring from an agency does not mean you have lost your memory. This is routine and all active and former operatives expect it.
What is Surveillance and are There Ways to Prevent It?
There are measures, but if you are a private citizen, and are, aware of surveillance camera systems then they want you to know. At this point, there are not any measures to prevent it. Once under surveillance the only thing that can be done is to lose your watchers for short periods. Civilians are not routinely monitored by law enforcement or the government unless there is a reason. Once that reason is gone then the monitoring is likely to stop, as well.
What is Surveillance and How Do You Know it is There
The reason many professionals will allow you to see them is misdirection. They want you rattled, and they want you to focus on them. While you give them all of your attention, a team is scouring your home. In your mind, you have contained the threat, and are controlling it because you see it.
Lack of training is another reason people are spotted conducting surveillance. Many inexperienced private investigators will do what is called pretext calls. They call to see if you answer, thinking they have pinpointed your location. Hang up calls are a red flag to even the most inexperienced private citizen.
Entering private property to conduct surveillance is illegal unless by law enforcement. However, people can video tape you at the mall or walking down a public street. Therefore, when out in public it is impossible to know. The best counter surveillance is staying inside your home.
You may have interacted with someone who is the subject of an investigation. As a matter of protocol, you will be monitored to determine your involvement. Once it is determined that you cannot provide any intelligence the surveillance will stop. The answer to what is surveillance hopefully has been answered to some extent.
