NSA and GCHQ: the flawed psychology of government mass surveillance

NSA and GCHQ: the flawed psychology of government mass surveillance

Research shows that indiscriminate monitoring fosters distrust, conformity and mediocrity

While pundits have argued vigorously about the merits and drawbacks of such programs, the voice of science has remained relatively quiet. This is despite the fact that science, alone, can lay claim to a wealth of empirical evidence on the psychological effects of surveillance. Studying that evidence leads to a clear conclusion and a warning: indiscriminate intelligence-gathering presents a grave risk to our mental health, productivity, social cohesion, and ultimately our future.

Read more at The Guardian.