The Securitate went on to catalogue samples of each machine’s font in an extensive database, designed to detect anti-state activities. Every dissenting word thereby became traceable.
It is in any totalitarian regime’s nature to seek control over the private lives of its citizens. Where previously, this control had its limits, today such barriers have fallen away.
Advances in technology now offer unprecedented capabilities for authorities to track individuals' activities in both the physical and digital space. In democratic societies, the role of the police should not, of course, be to spy on citizens, but to safeguard their security.
Historically, politicians seeking a more effective police force felt constrained by the sheer cost this would incur. This is no longer a consideration, since technological change has simultaneously lowered the costs of policing while dramatically enhancing its scope.
Even democratic states then risk having their police forces turn into clandestine intelligence services, capable of a kind of surveillance which is nothing short of invasive. London, with its extensive CCTV coverage, offers a good example; the ”Ring of Steel” system encircling London's financial heart, the City of London, remains one of the densest networks of surveillance cameras worldwide.
Eyes in the Sky
And then there are the drones. These have become integral in monitoring large demonstrations and public gatherings, their use seeing an annual rise due to decreasing prices and user-friendly interfaces. A clear example is DJI’s Phantom drone series, whose prices remained relatively stable at around $1,000 to $1,500 per unit between 2013 and 2019—despite bringing significant improvements in picture quality year by year.
Advancements in drone imaging however demand a higher speed at which data is processed and transferred. The advent of fifth-generation (5G) networks has substantially enhanced data transmission capabilities, thereby supporting the growth of so-called ”smart cities”.
Although the concept of smart cities ostensibly promotes efficiency and convenience, it simultaneously creates a robust infrastructure for surveillance. Such cities facilitate not only extensive data collection but also the deployment of advanced policing technologies, such as spherical robots. As these technologies proliferate, privacy becomes increasingly elusive.
Energy Costs: The Last Barrier to Complete Surveillance
Totalitarian regimes like Ceaușescu’s faced inherent logistical difficulties in having to keep an eye on not just its citizens but on members of its own security apparatus, whose loyalty was not necessarily a foregone conclusion.
In modern smart cities, artificial intelligence resolves this dilemma, as an AI’s loyalty is all but guaranteed. Quantum computing will only strengthen AI’s capabilities. In short; a wannabe dictator’s wet dream.
Yet, democratic regimes are equally susceptible to this temptation. However, their ambitions are chiefly constrained by their budgets as well as logistics.
We already know data centres are highly energy-intensive. In 2022, the global electricity consumption from data centres, artificial intelligence, and cryptocurrencies reached 460 terawatt-hours. By 2026, that figure is projected to rise to between 620 and 1,050 terawatt-hours, equivalent to the output of approximately 77 to 130 nuclear power plants.
Notably, these forecasts do not yet factor in the massive deployment of data centres for law enforcement purposes. Sustaining a system of this scale, even if only dedicated to surveillance, would require immense resources.
Europe as Digital Paradise
It is often humorously remarked that after America innovates and China imitates, Europe only regulates.
Indeed, Europe's fixation on regulation hinders its technological advancement, which partly explains why the continent has become sluggish in recent years—and risks missing the boat entirely. Yet this need not necessarily spell its doom. Europe's regulatory zeal, seemingly a disadvantage, might paradoxically turn into its greatest strength in an era of technology increasingly intruding upon personal privacy.
After all, regulations find their justification in constraining the power of the State. Establishing clear boundaries for the use of novel policing tools—from drones to artificial intelligence—will prove vital. Such regulations would ideally respect human dignity and safeguard privacy rights, areas where Europe’s regulatory prowess could be, perhaps uniquely so, advantageous.
If the twentieth century envisioned paradise as a sunny beach resort, that of the new millennium might be more realistic; more akin to a rundown Berlin neighbourhood devoid of the latest smart-city gadgetry, where police still respect its inhabitants’ right to privacy.
Statement
In 1983, the Ceaușescu regime compelled Romanians to register their typewriters with the secret police to identify dissenting voices. Today, technology amplifies this control, from London's pervasive surveillance cameras and police drones to smart cities powered by 5G networks and artificial intelligence. Even democratic states grapple with the temptations of expansive surveillance. While technological advancements may offset the delicate balance between security and privacy, European regulations could pave the way to a digital utopia where police forces safeguard citizens rather than spy on them.