Surveillance: The exception has become the rule

No event has shaken our sense of security like the 9/11 terrorist attacks 20 years ago. In their aftermath support for state surveillance has grown and data collection has become widely accepted. The scenes of the 2001 terror attacks play like a Hollywood action movie on repeat. The two suicide bombings in New York City are particularly ingrained in our minds because the Big Apple is not just another American metropolis but also a dream location. The collapsed twin towers of the World Trade Centre were once a popular place to enjoy the view of the city’s magnificent skyline. After the attacks, the United States experienced an unprecedented wave of international solidarity. President George W. Bush declared a state of emergency and “a war on terror”. Governments around the world imposed new counter-terrorism laws that often walked a fine line between sacrificing individual freedoms and improving collective security. Most people in a democratic society are prepared to give up some...