ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses important challenges posed for media, journalism and public debate by recent massive domestic and global surveillance of US National Security Agency (NSA), and Britain's Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ). It focuses on contemporary developments concerning these countries with a stated intention of protecting our liberties, security and rights during global conflict; mass-surveillance that transformed our media environment, journalism and relations with the state, raising important implications for human rights. Surveillance Studies traditionally suffered from problems of access, with official restrictions punctuated by the revelations of the occasional persecuted whistle-blower. Governments worldwide utilise surveillance, and many present a far more hostile environment for journalism than Britain and US. Concerning numbers of journalists, politicians and Human Rights Organisations have been targeted by mass-surveillance. Surveillance capabilities must be understood within wider propaganda and security strategies. Pressure must be placed on policymakers to implement resolutions and constant vigilance is necessary protect human rights.
