By Dylan Cernoia | Observer Contributor
Image by RickySpanish
The Humanities Project hosted an event at the Levi Heywood Memorial Library in Gardner called “Hey Alexa, Are You Listening?” that discussed modern day surveillance as compared to the book 1984.
The event informed students and the public about the current situation surrounding modern surveillance. It was led by James Bigelow, a 7-year Criminal Justice professor and former detective, and Reed Hillman, a 10- year Criminal Justice professor.
People often hear about surveillance and it can be difficult to decipher fact from fiction. Are we always being watched or is it paranoia? In short, yes; Hillman said, “There are surveillance cameras everywhere. Even if you’re in the deep woods, there are game cameras.” While that seems like it bears a resemblance to the state in 1984, Bigelow said people shouldn’t worry about the thought police just yet saying, “We have oversight of separate branches, so if the police want to listen to your phone they got to get a warrant. They have to go through a judge; he’s got to review it and he’s got to agree that there is probable cause. Our system of checks and balances does work.”