Harold D. Laswell, "The Social Consequences of Automation", May 1958

Modern technology has developed a repertory of devices capable of penetrating barriers of privacy. Some of these relate to behavior such as the recording microphone or concealed photography; others refer to the inner life (narcosis-inducing devices, lie detection polygraph machines, etc.). ... In the past, the efficiency of police networks suffered from shortage of personnel. The installation of automatically monitored surveillance instruments makes it possible to penetrate the remaining barriers to privacy, and to redouble the pressures toward cautious conformity, not only to lawful prescriptions but to the informal prescriptions laid down by "Mrs. Grundy." The potentiality exists of monitoring not only prisons, schools, offices, plants, barracks, training, and recreational fields, but of surveying traffic flows, etc.

Limits to this process may be wanted in order to maintain areas of individual privacy and freedom. If so, it will be necessary to stop drifting and take the positive step of drawing up, adopting, and administering codes of freedom.

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