Online surveillance tools are employed by police and intelligence agencies to record, monitor and examine digital go to website activity. They include online security software and hardware cameras that connect to a server in order to store and manage information. Surveillance systems can be used to monitor the location of someone, to determine their physical attributes and detect any suspicious behaviour. They can also be used to spot possible sabotage or theft of sensitive information.
Governments must ensure that the design, acquisition and operation of surveillance technologies is guided by respect of human rights and privacy principles, which includes the protection of bodily autonomy, avoiding undue interference with personal freedoms, and restricting the collection and retention of information. This means establishing clear limits on the information that is collected and ensuring that these technologies are only used when it is necessary and appropriate to achieve legitimate goals in a specific setting, and providing legal advice to people who are concerned about the use of surveillance technology.
Human rights groups believe that the widespread usage of these technologies may cause police officers to abuse their discretion and power. A number of US agencies have reportedly used surveillance software, like facial recognition and social media mining, to monitor citizens and travelers in public areas, or to monitor activists and protesters.
BrickHouse Security offers a variety of counter surveillance devices to secure privacy and avoid unwanted surveillance. These include portable detectors that can sweep a space in just a few seconds for hidden cameras, as well as white noise masking devices that block recording devices from picking voices up.