When someone walks out the front door of the world, how aware and aware are they of how often they are being watched, tracked, and monitored? Through surveillance, wherever one goes, their lives are monitored and invaded by prying eyes. Most people believe that society needs electronic surveillance and that it is there to protect them. Others believe that society does not need surveillance and fear that their privacy will be invaded. Many discuss several issues related to the costly use of surveillance. Electronic surveillance has a wide range of purposes covering past, present and future events. There needs to be a balance between the benefits that surveillance brings to society and the misuse of surveillance that invades everyone's privacy. While some are positive and some are not, there are different purposes and reasons why society uses electronic surveillance. One of the primary purposes of surveillance, and one of the most common, is to use it to promote security. People in our society want to feel safe from the crime and dangers of the world around them. Authorities and judicial officials use common means of video surveillance to catch those involved in illegal activities. For example, in the article “Protecting public anonymity,” the authors explain how law enforcement officials use video surveillance of a shopping center to monitor customers and find out if there are “wanted persons.” They also monitor shopping malls, or highly populated areas, to "track down any persons with police records or any persons who have specific genetic, behavioral, religious or cultural profiles that suggest they are more likely to engage in illegal activity" ( Granger, Morgan and Elaine Newton). This creates problems because it is likely that all... center of paper... hipps, Jennie L. and Leslie Ryan. “Street cameras bringing eyeballs to station sites.” Electronic media. 19 (2000): 16. Premier academic research. EBSCOhost. Community College Library Media Center. March 4, 2008.Smithsimon, Molly. “Private Lives, Public Spaces: The Surveillance State.” Dissent 50.1 (Wntr 2003): 43(49). General OneFile. Storm. Community college. February 15, 2008. Someone is watching [video recording]. Production of the NY Times/Discovery Times channel. Discovery, [2005]. Surveillance technology. [video recording]. [United States]: A&E Home Video, 2004"Watch while you shop." Economist 385.8558(December 2007): 28-29. Premier of academic research. EBSCOhost. Community College Library Media Center. March 15, 2008. “Wireless Eyes Monitor Crime.” Communications News 44.9(2007):22-24. Premier of academic research. EBSCOhost. Community College Library Media Center. March 4. 2008.