Mass surveillance is real, what can I do about it ?
Introduction
When we talk about mass surveillance, we immediately think of Big Brother and 1984. And, to be honest, it has never been closer to reality. What was once a science-fiction nightmare is now something we must deal with in the real world. Naturally, this means we need to protect ourselves from it.
Some countries or cities are more widely known for practicing mass surveillance, but ultimately, those that are not known for it are often simply better at concealing it. And the reality is that mass surveillance is even more prevalent online, where it remains invisible unless you know where to look. So mass surveillance is real, what can you do about it?
IRL surveillance
First of all, let's start with real-world (IRL) surveillance. As the oldest form of surveillance, it is also the most widely known. As you are likely already aware, many countries and cities have implemented street camera systems that allow authorities to observe what you are doing and when, every time you are outside your home. As is always the case when surveillance is introduced, it is justified on the grounds of security. The most common argument is: “We install these cameras to deter criminals by making them afraid of being identified, and to be able to catch those who commit crimes anyway.”
Here are the cities with the highest number of cameras per citizen around the world:
As you can see, China is excluded from this map, and there's a simple reason for that. With a population of 1.42 billion, the current estimate of 700 million cameras means there are 494.25 cameras for every 1,000 people in China. That's nearly one camera for every two people. If China were included on this map, other cities would barely register.
Hyderabad, Indore, Bangalore, Lahore, Seoul, Moscow, Kabul, Singapore, Saint Petersburg, and Baghdad are the top 10 most surveilled cities outside of China, based on the number of cameras per 1,000 people.
If you're interested in checking how many cameras are in a specific city, you can scroll to the bottom of this webpage to find the information.
Another widely used method of mass surveillance around the world is the presence of police or military forces in public spaces, who are authorized to check your identity or inspect what you're carrying in your bag. The most common justification for this is terrorism prevention. However, in reality, it means you can't carry whatever you want, wherever you want, without being subjected to arbitrary checks by authorities. Essentially, it operates on the assumption that you are guilty by default, and you must prove your innocence by allowing authorities to access your personal and private belongings.
Here is an interesting discussion about it.
Between IRL and Online surveillance
Some mass surveillance methods combine both IRL and online surveillance. These methods use technology in close proximity to you to monitor your activities. This is a tricky one because, in most cases, you are the one inadvertently putting yourself under surveillance.
The first method involves your mobile devices, whether they're running iOS or Android, which are constantly listening to you and those around you. Essentially, everything you say, hear, or listen to is picked up by your phone and uploaded to a data center. This is done to build a profile of you, which is then used to target you with personalized ads. Furthermore, this data is often shared with governments, enabling them to create a profile to assess whether you may pose a threat or not.
The second method is still related to your mobile phone. As you probably know, location tracking is a key feature in nearly every smartphone sold worldwide. Many people find it incredibly useful for things like GPS navigation or finding nearby restaurants. However, this also means that large companies and governments can track your whereabouts at any time. And that raises serious privacy concerns. If you're carrying your phone, you can't go anywhere without someone knowing where you are.
Another common method is the use of home automation devices, which take mass surveillance to another level. Cameras, Google Home, Alexa, smart lights, and similar technologies act as numerous small spies that people install in their homes, allowing large companies and governments to be, in effect, directly present in their daily lives. By using these technologies, you provide major corporations and governments with eyes and ears inside your private space. Moreover, these devices also collect and upload data about what you do and when you do it, such as turning on lights, listening to music, watching TV, or eating. In this way, they share detailed information about your daily routines with entities that seek to exert as much control and manipulation over you as possible.
Basically, these are 1984's telescreens. As defined in this Wikipedia article, telescreens are "omnipresent and almost never turned off, it is an unavoidable source of propaganda and tool of surveillance used by the ruling Party to manipulate and control the Oceanian population."
Online surveillance
Now that we have looked at real-life mass surveillance, let us turn to its online counterpart. As you likely already know, if you do not pay close attention to your OPSEC, virtually everything you do online is collected and stored. Every website you visit, every file you download, every account you log into, every video you watch, and every conversation you have, everything.
Today, most activities require an internet connection, which essentially means that almost everything you do can be subject to surveillance. You go to a show? Your ticket is on your phone. You go to a restaurant? The menu is now a QR code. You need to see a doctor? You have to schedule an appointment online. And all of it is tracked.
But there is something even worse. If you use closed-source software, everything you do offline on a computer can also be tracked and stored. Windows and macOS record every click on your device, every letter you type, and many other actions. Once this data is collected, you cannot remove it from their data centers.
Let us say, for example, that you decide to print a gun using a 3D printer, something I do not advise. You might do everything offline. However, if you are using a computer running Windows or macOS, the process will ultimately involve online data collection anyway. Moreover, if you use closed-source software for the design files or for controlling the printer, that information may be uploaded as well. Once this data is shared with governments, they will know that you printed the gun. And keep in mind that large corporations do everything they can to force you to use closed-source software.
What you need to keep in mind is that once this data has been uploaded to the data centers of large corporations or governments, there is no way for you to make it disappear. Except, of course, if you could destroy those data centers and every other facility where the data has been backed up, which, realistically, you cannot. So, in practice, once the data is collected, it is there permanently.
What to do about it ?
Now that you are aware of mass surveillance and how it can affect you, you may want to take action to avoid it and protect your privacy both in real life and online. There are solutions that can help, but keep in mind that maintaining privacy online is far easier than doing so in the physical world.
Privacy IRL
Here, we will discuss what you can do to counter real-life mass surveillance. First, let us talk about the cameras that are out there. It is very difficult to avoid cameras if you do not know exactly where they are, and trust me, governments are extremely good at hiding this kind of equipment. That said, there are still ways to protect your privacy, at least to some extent, against cameras. You should read this article, which provides useful tips on the subject.
Even though this article is focused on staying anonymous during a protest, the advice it provides is largely applicable to avoiding camera surveillance in general. It also offers guidance on preventing your phone from betraying you.
Regarding police and military presence, it is much more difficult to avoid being searched and to keep what you are carrying hidden. That said, there are websites that explain how to transport sensitive items discreetly. The question was also asked on this forum, and some answers are interesting.
Regarding mass surveillance that can take place inside your home, there are a few measures that can help you reduce it. First of all, if you have read this blog post carefully, you should avoid smart home devices altogether. These are essentially surveillance tools, due to the closed-source software, that they are running, and you can live without them, just as people did for centuries. Keep in mind that when a large company offers to “simplify” your life, it is often a trap.
Moreover, this is a good opportunity to learn new skills and build your own home automation system, while retaining full control over everything, from the code to the way it operates.
Do not discuss sensitive matters when your phone is nearby. As a better alternative, you can use GrapheneOS to secure your device. It helps reduce the risk of being monitored by your own phone.
Privacy Online
Regarding online privacy, the situation is much simpler. To be honest, you already have access to all the tools needed to counter most mass surveillance measures currently in place. The OPSEC Bible is specifically designed to provide you with the advice and steps necessary to remain private online.
I will not list or describe every blog post you will find here, but you should review all of them and compare their recommendations with what you are currently doing. If you identify one or more measures that are not in place in your setup, apply them as soon as possible. As I have already stated before, OPSEC is an all-or-nothing matter: 100% is required, and 99.9% is already a complete failure.
A quick summary should be:
Use Linux, GrapheneOS, the Tor network, a trustworthy VPN, and free and open-source software (FOSS) only. That said, this summary is not sufficient on its own, so keep reading all the available blog posts and continue learning.
Conclusion
I hope you are now aware that mass surveillance is real and that it affects you directly. Mass surveillance is not necessarily a problem if you are aware of it and put the right measures in place to counter it. Your privacy is a fundamental right, and you should never forget that. You cannot accept having no privacy simply because it seems too difficult to oppose governments and large corporations. Privacy laxism is one of the worst attitudes to adopt, as it grants power to individuals or groups that seek to control you. Ultimately, it only feeds the parasite.
Suggest changes
Crabmeat
2025-12-18
Donate XMR to the author:89aWkJ8yabjWTDYcHYhS3ZCrNZiwurptzRZsEpuBLFpJgUfAK2aj74CPDSNZDRnRqeKNGTgrsi9LwGJiaQBQP4Yg5YtJw2U