Surveillance technology and government discretion
Diego Martín Velázquez Caballero
Some seasons of the year correspond to the increase in violence, crime and other social anomies.
In recent weeks, we have been able to see the social levels that barbarism reaches thanks to cameras and spy devices; unfortunately, the absence of the government is also highlighted, at its different levels: local, state and national.
State governments highlight the tax collection that surveillance cameras have earned them; however, with this information, it is also striking that crime increases exponentially, even though the facts can be verified. That is, society can observe the harsh reality thanks to information technologies; but, the government presence is not noted anywhere.
Lynchings, fights, intentional homicides, femicides, traffic accidents, etc., can be seen in all their dimensions; only that is not governing, it may be a contribution to sensationalism, but it does not generate the feeling that the rulers do their job.
Efficiency and managerial criteria predominate in the governments of the Fourth Transformation, everything is recorded, but little is solved.
The budgets for acquiring video surveillance equipment and observation or espionage technologies increase considerably; however, the government only appears when citizens become double captive taxpayers.
If technology fines and governs, perhaps the option of Artificial Intelligence (Skynet) taking control of everything should begin to be established.
Local governments are conditioned to acquire expensive technologies and implement invisible coercive policies, even to the detriment of true, material social security and, above all, authentic well-being.
Progressive governments begin to fire personnel and reduce the number of officials essential to comply with governability.
Indeed, the flag of the new times seems to be self-government, even if that implies a certain state of nature.
The ruler who declared the decrease in crime due to the increase in lynchings may be a prominent candidate for the Nobel Prize.
Surveillance technology has not represented the social welfare that its champions believe; on the contrary, the bizarre figures of the collection only trigger the rumors of corruption and the deficiency of the party in government.
Although they are considered indispensable, technologies do not replace the government or the human condition of public action.
Governments must grow at the level of social demands, but in human resources, not only in patrimonialism and technological facades.