While some think that governmental bodies should be granted access to citizens’ phone calls and texts in order to guarantee safety, others state the very opposite, arguing that this measure would attack people’s privacy and thus it shouldnot be permitted. Even though such a policy could help governments intervene in a timely manner before something dangerous occurs, this essay will advocate for the privacy of people.
It cannot be denied that granting public institutions the access to our private phone calls and messages will result in several beneficial effects: not only would the organisation of terroristic attacks become impossible by means of mobile phones, but there would also be a dramatic fall in cyberbullying, discriminatory chats, and in the spread of illegal media. These positive consequences have been reported in more dictatorial states, such as China and Russia.
Nonetheless, as written in numerous Western constitutions, the right to privacy should be guaranteed to every citizen, regardless of their means of communication. Should this measure be implemented, people will have to justify every word they express to a new governmental institution, whose main task will be to prevent any possible social disruption. As it can be easily understood, such a solution is not actually feasible for two main reasons: the first is that the public expenditure would necessarily increase, the second is that people will not be able to freely chat and have fun with their friends.
In conclusion, although the hypothetical control of citizens’ private records might result in positive ramifications, these benefits would never justify the violation of the undeniable right to privacy. Therefore, the access to mobile phone’s call record and texts should be with an explicit legal permission.