Fearing the potential threat of an Orwellian dystopia, many people are rethinking government surveillance programs to counter terrorism. Although the practice of surveillance by the National Security Agency (NSA) and PRISM has stopped potential terrorist attacks, American citizens have recently learned, in the summer of 2013, that their individual lives are no longer private. The US government secretly monitors text messages, phone conversations, web communications, online purchases, and locations of individuals around the world. With programs like NSA and PRISM, these networks of surveillance programs represent only a small part of the largest surveillance system in history. Through this system, the government can acquire information, such as where people have traveled, their current location, and where they plan to go, in complete secrecy. These programs were brought to light when former NSA employee Edward Snowden disclosed documents describing large-scale data collection. Overall, surveillance is a crucial aspect of modern society, but with privacy intrusions, covert data collection, poor restrictions, and lack of transparency, it can do more harm than good. Despite the consequences, surveillance makes the world a safer place by giving people a sense of comfort and providing society with a form of checks and balances. It allows criminals and fugitives to be held more accountable for their illicit activities (Bilton). In certain times, camera systems can even promote freedom and security, so the beneficial uses of surveillance all depend on the situation and how it is used (Volokh). The main objective of surveillance in American society is to ensure... of paper... authorities cannot depend exclusively on technological surveillance, but use it as an aid to filter useless information and data (Kelly). All NSA decisions must be fully engaged by its legal department and reviewed by the White House and the Department of Justice (Hayden). Cameras are devices that can be used for good and enforce good laws, and it should be just a single step to solving problems (Volokh and Kelly). For the future development of surveillance, the government must recognize that surveillance transcends the boundary between public and private, covert surveillance is illegitimate, total surveillance is illegitimate, and that the government should not record all Internet activity and surveillance itself is harmful (Richards). Ultimately, surveillance is a vital aspect of modern society, but it has too many flaws that are more harmful than beneficial.