ISSUE 3

Wed. Nov. 20, 2019
EDITORIALS 3
Do security cameras
help with crime
or infringe on our
privacy rights?
BY JANE ELKINS
Editorials Editor
A WORLD WITHOUT PRIVACY?
Over the past 30 years, the use of
security cameras and facial recognition
technology has become more and
more prevalent throughout the United
States. From public streets to airports,
to stores, security cameras have most
likely monitored you at some point in
your life.
Facial recognition software
distinguishes people from recorded
video, normally taken from security
cameras, and compares their facial
features with an array of other faces
within a database.
In a matter of seconds, the software
compares millions and millions of
faces and works efficiently to find
perpetrators and solve cases. From
petty theft to muggings and shootings,
facial recognition helps to solve many
forms of crime and overall maintains
public safety.
However, some see the situation
differently. Instead of seeing the usage
of facial recognition technology and
security cameras as bettering public
safety, they see it as a threat to their
right to privacy.
They argue that the Fourth
Amendment protects them against
unreasonable searches and seizures
and the use of security cameras
without their explicit consent violates
that right.
Another concern that worries people
is the accuracy and racial preference in
facial-recognition software.
During its prototype, the software
was trained on mainly white men
and other races were not there to give
varying distinction to the system. In
fact, according to the American Civil
Liberties Union, the misidentification
rate for people of color is around
39%, which is way too high to be
implemented into our law system.
Unfortunately, there are no laws put in
place to neutralize this bias.
Another worrisome factor is that
technology can never be 100% accurate
and could cause a multitude of wrongful
arrests. In one instance, during the
testing phase of Amazons’ facial
recognition software, it mistakenly
matched 28 members of Congress as
convicted criminals.
For those reasons, so far four U.S.
cities have banned the use of facial
recognition. Despite all this, those
instances do not represent how effective
facial recognition can be to our society.
For one, public safety should be
our number one concern. Although
privacy is an important right, in our
current society with mass shootings
happening often people should be okay
with giving up a small part of that. This
new technology may give increased
convenience or security at the cost of
privacy, and people put their ignorance
aside realize that this tradeoff in its
entirety benefits society.
Another reason surveillance and
facial recognition are beneficial is that
it will inevitably reduce crime rates.
When the installation of security
cameras is clearly seen there is a
continual reminder to every other
person in the public that they’re being
watched. This understanding creates a
second thought in the heads of potential
criminals before they take chance in
criminal behavior.
Places like parking lots and public
streets are the most common places
that crime occurs and the installation
of security cameras considerably assists
the police in the identification and
crime-prevention.
That ideology along with the usage
of facial recognition technology, even if
it is not the most accurate system, will
greatly reduce the rate of crimes.
In fact, in Orange County, New
USCP.GOV
Jersey, a place infamous for its crime
rates, saw a 50% drop in crime rates
after they installed security cameras all
over their city.
Finally, it provides residents with
the knowledge that they earn, knowing
that possible criminals will be put to
justice for their actions.
Although there are some flaws
need to be corrected and there are
some legal barriers it needs to go
through, generally, the advantages of
security camera surveillance and facial
recognition overbalance its negativity.
From enhancing public safety to
guaranteeing the justice of criminals,
the world will be a more secure place all
thanks to advancing technology.
Do you think
there is a
correlation
between gun
violence and
video games?
CATHERINE
CONNELL
freshman
“I feel like as more
and more kids are seeing
guns normalized in
video games it’ll normalize
actual guns in
the future”
SOPHIA TURA
freshman
“I don’t really feel
like there is a correlation
between the two
because of the age
restrictions on video
games, which allow only
mature teens to play
these “violent” games.”
JOURNEE WARD
sophomore
“I think that if kids are
play ing violent games
which have guns in
them, it might make
guns seem like less of a
big deal.”
ANTHONY JAMES
sophomore
“Video games have a
very essential impact
on gun violence
because of the games
that we play such as
GTA are very graphic
and could cause kids to
be influenced by them.”
SIRENA CLEMONS
junior
“I think that video
games expose kid to
violence and killing
and could also it teach
them knowledge on
guns which could inevitably
cause violence.”
FAUZAH KARGBO
junior
“I think that the correlation
between gun violence
and video games
is that video games
make players seem like
it is okay to shoot people
or like steal cars.”
HAKIM IDRIS
senior
“I don’t like to say there
is a correlation because
everyone should be
able to make their own
decisions.”
JOSE GARCIA
senior
“I think that people
who play video games
and take it to extreme
just not mature enough
to play those types of
games.”
Graphic and violent video games have increased in popularity over the past couple
of decades and it has recently recieved a lot of blame as a reason for school
shootings.
CALL OF DUTY MODERN WARFARE
Don’t blame video games for gun violence
BY FATIMA SAYED
Staff Writer
Gun violence has been a
controversial topic for the past few
years but we have yet to come across
the reason for what is causing it.
Since 2019 began there have been
over 21 deadly mass shootings, but the
problem is that nobody knows where to
point the blame.
Some say it’s because of mental
illnesses, others say video games, and
some say that it’s because of guns in
general.
Many politicians such as the
Californian Congressman Kevin
Mccarthy and President Donald Trump
have come out to say that shootings are
in fact linked to “violent video games.”
The issue with that claim is that
there is no hard evidence linking
shootings and video games together.
However, there is evidence that
proves that gun violence is not related
to video games at all. According to
Newzoo Institute for Health Metrics
and Evaluation, the United States isn’t
even the biggest consumer for video
games that are considered violent, it’s
China.
Even though the leading consumer
is China, the United States is leading
in the number of deaths in mass
shootings.
Therefore proving that there is no
correlation between the two. A majority
of the people who are making these
claims are conservatives and this
makes it seem like they are to use any
excuse to protect their gun rights.
Video games have been a constant
scapegoat every time a new mass
shooting occurs. Walmart even began
removing displays of violent video
games after the shooting that took place
in El Paso, Texas.
It is unnecessary that Walmart took
this action because they’re trying to
stop shootings by getting rid of game
displays but they won’t remove guns
from their stores.
Over 70% of high school students
play violent video games; yet only
20% of school shooters have played
these same video games, according
to the director of the Interpersonal
Research Laboratory and professor of
psychology at Villanova University,
Patrick Markey. If the claim of games
influencing gun control was factual, the
statistics would be much higher than
20%.
Playing violent games doesn’t mean
that you want to be violent towards
people in reality.
If there is no statistical evidence or
any evidence at all for that matter, why
do so many conservatives keep pointing
the figure at video games? It’s because
they don’t want to admit shootings keep
happening because of the guns that
they are trying to protect.
It’s clear that efforts need to be made
regarding gun reform but that won’t
happen until people stop pointing the
finger at things that are unrelated and
holding guns and the people using them
with the intention of harming someone
accountable.
MAKIN’ THE GRADE
Caps season starts strong
A
Food
B
C
F
The Washington Capitals season is off to a great start. They are currently No.
1 in the Metropolitan Division and currently have the best record in the NHL
with 14 total wins. The most recent game was against the St. Louis Blues and
they won 3-2. As of now, it looks like the Capitals are on track to reclaim the
Stanley Cup.
delivery robots in DC
Self-driving delivery robots have been appearing all over the country but most
recently in DC. They were made by a food delivering company called ‘Starship
Technologies’ and by 2022 they plan to become the main delivery system
at 100 different universities all over the country. Although many enjoy the
service, there has been a couple of incidents. During one delivery last year, a
car hit a delivery robot and another spontaneously burst into flames.
Popeyes sandwiches are back
The re-release of the Popeyes spicy chicken sandwich just like last time
prompted long lines at Popeyes all over the country, this time however there
have been a bunch more violent incidents. In one instance, a man stabbed
another man over a chicken sandwich and is now arrested. He is now charged
with first-degree murder as well as first-degree assault. In fact, at one
restaurant in Maryland was closed due to numerous amount of assault.
Wizards without wins
The Washington Wizards have dug themselves a hole early in the season. They
are currently ranked 14th out of 15 teams in the Eastern Conference. As of
now their record is 2-7 which is one of the worst in the NBA. As of a team, they
need to get together and learn to build upwards to more wins, but, they’re in
bad shape. Hopefully they can get back on track and start winning again like
the WNBA team in DC, the Mystics.
Cartoonist Corner
ERNEST OWEN