IELTS Writing Task 2/ Essay Topics with sample answer.
IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample 762 - Technology is being used to monitor what people are saying and doing
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IELTS Writing Task 2/ IELTS Essay:
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Nowadays technology is increasingly being used to monitor what people are saying and doing (for example, through cell phone tracking and security cameras). In many cases, the people being monitored are unaware that this is happening.
Do you think the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
You should write at least 250 words.
Model Answer 1:
It is true that technological devices such as surveillance video or mobile phone are utilised for monitoring public activities these days. In the most common case, many people do not realise that they are being monitored. Although the existence of these devices has some drawbacks, I do believe that it has more benefits for our communities and the following essay will discuss it in details.
On the one hand, it is reported the usage of technological tools has increased, such as video cameras that are placed everywhere by authorities and the tracking of individuals' cellular phone using satellite technology. These acts are unfavourable for some people since authorities do not inform their residents about the activities. Some people believe that this is against human rights and freedom, where people should have their own privacy. Besides that, this monitoring data could be misused by the member of the authorities, as the data could be sold to another party for business or political purposes.
On the other hand, the existence of CCTV in public places and satellite tracking of mobile phones would bring many advantages for the humankind if they are used appropriately. With the existence of these video monitoring activities, it would help the police department in preventing and investigating any crime activities. And then, with the sophisticated satellite tracking technology, it could help authorities in tracing crime persons, as they could search the existence of criminals through the signal of mobile phones. It has been proven that with the usage of these sophisticated technologies, it has reduced the number of crimes in many countries.
In conclusion, it is common that governments use advanced technology devices such as video camera and handphone tracking system to monitor their residents' activities. And in common cases, these monitoring activities are not informed and socialised to the public, therefore some people believe that they are against human's privacy policy. In my personal opinion, I do believe that these activities have more positive sides than its negatives if authorities use it properly.
[ Written by - Darwin Lesmana ]
Model Answer 2:
In today’s modern world, technology has developed at a fast pace and undoubtedly, it brings a handful of benefits but at the same time, it still has disadvantages like making the monitoring of what people are saying and doing. The essay will examine both sides of the issue.
The advanced technology nowadays makes people feel insecure as tracking process is made to be simple for people to monitor their friends or family members. Those who are being monitored may not aware of that this is happening and this leads to some issues related to personal privacy arrived. For instance, we constantly bombarded with the news that some couples will use this technology to track their couples through the electronic devices. Therefore, people may feel stress as they are afraid of being the next target of being monitored by others through cell phone tracking.
Nevertheless, the developed technology does bring numerous advantages. To begin, this technology like security cameras can help to prevent crime from happening. Thus, the crime rate will be reduced. The police nowadays like to use the security cameras wisely to monitor the would-be offenders and take effective actions towards them immediately. On the other hand, this useful technology enables the children to keep track with their elderly parents for the reason to ensure that they are safe. By using this technology intelligently, children can take immediate actions whenever their parents need help or in danger. In other words, children can take care of their parents’ safety before things get worse. As a result, we can see that most of the children today will definitely buy their parents a smartphone with a tracking application installed.
In conclusion, I believe the advantages of this development do outweigh the disadvantages. Even though there is a negative impact on people lives that is being monitored by others through cell phones, there are some benefits as well. Not forgetting to mention that a coin has both sides, if we can utilise this technology in an intelligent manner, we will surely get benefited and our country will continue to prosper and flourish in the decades to come.
[ Written by - Lee Wing Qeen ]
Model Answer 3:
As the mankind has progressed, the technology has advanced as well. From the telephone which was invented by Graham bell in the 19th century to the iPhone invented by Steve Jobs in the 21st century, we have made a lot of progress in terms of technology. As a result of this revolution in technology, more and more gadgets are being used to monitor people. However, such monitoring has both positives and negatives when it comes to the end result.
CCTV cameras are quite mundane in shops, malls, etc and they help the bosses keep an eye on their employees. As a direct result, the employees, being aware of the monitoring, work efficiently. In a travelling job, the bosses can track their employees via GPS and thereby prevents false report-ins. Moreover, shoplifting is also often either averted or the shoplifter gets caught from the CCTV tapes.
In spite of the advantages of monitoring people using technology, there are cases where such monitoring may cause problems. CCTVs are often installed in trial rooms to prevent shoplifting. However, a person may unknowingly end up naked on tape while trying an apparel. With regard to an employee, continuous monitoring may lead to him/her not enjoying work and ultimately quitting, to work in a more relaxed environment. In addition to this, tracking once it is known, is being done, and becomes vulnerable. Consequently, the original source can be manipulated, erased or made public.
However, I still feel that monitoring by technology, despite its drawbacks has more pros than cons. Monitoring, at public places, can help provide safety and security to people. Police and other security personnel can track mobile phone conversations of suspects without them being aware and can, therefore, prevent crime. Camera footage from a crime site may help the police nab a gangster and the same tape can be used for his conviction.
In conclusion, the advantages of monitoring people via technology outweigh the disadvantages. However, steps need to be taken to ensure that there is no harm to the privacy and integrity of people while monitoring them even when they do not know, that they are being monitored.
[ Written by - Ripal Vyas ]
Model Answer 4:
From my point of view, this development has more benefits, although it has some drawbacks to a certain extent.
It is true that the technology of monitoring people would violate the privacy of individuals. Citizens have no private room and can't keep their secrets, which would undermine the quality of their daily life significantly. No matter where they go and who they meet, all of them are exposed under the monitoring of others. Furthermore, some people are even unaware of that they are under monitoring. It renders some outlaws take advantage of these technologies and then commit some serious crime to the innocent people, for example, tracking, committing fraud, even murdering. People are placed in a very passive position because they don't know they are monitored by the state of the art devices.
Despite the argument above, the monitoring technology can lead to the positive result as long as we can oversee and control it properly. It can be used to monitor some sensitive locations with high crime rate by our police. There are many instances in our real life that real-time monitoring can help police to prevent crime from happening as they can monitor some specific spots all the time. For instance, once suspects show up under the camera, the police can take prompt action to bust them in advance so that no one gets hurt during the action. Nevertheless, making good use of the monitoring technology has to ensure all of them are under control of our authority rather than criminals.
To sum up, although this development has some potential drawbacks like being used by criminal to commit crimes and violate the privacy of individuals, we can make use of it to help us to prevent crime from happening as long as we ensure all of them are under our control.
[ Written by - Johnny Quan ]
Model Answer 5:
Technology provides a valuable, almost indispensable aid to our daily living. It helps us saving time, remembering things, being more efficient and safer. It is thus a logical consequence that it is utilised as a tool to monitor social behaviour, in order to prevent or restrain situations that could cause harm to others.
This is indeed the main argument used by those who are in favour of the monitoring use of technology. Tracking phone calls and text messages could preventively stop terrorist attacks, uncover instances of state corruption, and help to investigate crimes. Security cameras have been proven to be an effective small-crime deterrent and allow citizens to move around the city without the constant fear of been robbed, pickpocketed or assaulted.
We have to consider, however, that technology is yet not self-sufficient and can only provide a set of data that needs to be interpreted and checked by a human operator. The human factor, as any human factors, will, in turn, belong to a societal web and will, as Foucault would put it, follow a specific, pre-ordered, hierarchy of power. The point at stake here is then not really if we do benefit from the monitoring use of technology, which we surely do, but if such socio-normative and reprimanded apparatuses could not, in fact, be turned against personal freedoms and nurture the rise of totalitarianism. George Orwell's famous novel "1984" provides a dystopic picture of the effects born out of an excessive use of technology as a mean to monitor human lives.
In my opinion, technology provides an effective way of preventing and punishing deviant behaviours but could very well, at some point, be used to coerce individuals. For this not to happen, a scrupulous policy in regard to technological monitoring has to be effective at all times.
[ Written by - Nicola Pacor ]
Model Answer 6:
With the exponential growth of the technology in recent times, we are also seeing its wide and varied application in all walks of life one among it is to track the movements of people and their doings. This application can be a boon or a bane but in my view, the harmful effects outweigh the useful outcomes.
Firstly, increasing intrusion in one’s life events without consent is seen as a denial of privacy which is a fundamental right. This can be viewed as a major emotional setback as it happened in the case of phone tapping row in America which resulted in clashes between government and public. Not only it leads to distrust among people but also disturbed the social harmony which existed. Furthermore, the data collected by monitoring can be misused if it ends up in wrong hands. For example, people can use these data to extort money or events like ATM frauds and credit cards frauds or leakage of private images on the internet damaging the reputation of the concerned individual.
Although, one cannot deny that these activities of surveillance by designated authorities can prevent any attack on humanity by antisocial elements like terrorists thus maintaining peace and harmony in the society. Moreover, these kinds of monitoring at a certain level can be used by the employers for employee appraisal by knowing the right candidate deserving rewards for his hard work.
To conclude, as every coin has two sides similarly use of technology to keep track of people also has its own advantages and disadvantages though in my opinion disadvantages outweigh advantages by a small margin.
[ Written by - Terrin Nadar ]
Model Answer 7:
Nowadays, the advancement of technology has immensely catalysed the improvements in our day to day experiences. Technology plays many vital roles in the fields of medicine, industrial science, research, and telecommunications. Additionally, these technological advancements are utilised by security agencies. Some are concerned that recording people's activities through the use of technology without their knowledge are against citizens’ privacy. In my view, this is of little concern compared to the many positive aspects this surveillance brings for us including protecting citizens from terrorists and detecting crimes.
Firstly, the implementation of technology, especially in establishments for the use of security, has helped in resolving crimes like theft. More and more companies take advantages of this by installing multiple CCTVs or surveillance cameras around their premises. Criminals who are unaware of these cameras are caught red handed in doing their mischief. In addition, surveillance cameras not only help solve the increasing crime rates but also aid in finding lost items and tracking down runaway pets by reviewing the recording of the previous days and even weeks or months. The sole objective of this monitoring system is to protect and detect crimes, not to violate people’s privacy. The criminals do not come from other planets. They live among us thus to detect them the security authority needs to monitors all citizens.
The only disadvantage of the use of technology in this aspect is the violation of a person's privacy. Some individuals hold very high regard to protecting their personal space and would be dismayed to find out that they were recorded on a hidden camera. Because of this, there is a decreased amount of freedom that one has in doing some activities, most especially in public places.
In summary, technology has drastically improved our way of living and has greatly contributed to resolving the criminal cases around the vicinity. It is my deepest belief that there is more space for the development of technology which will absolutely defy the few disadvantages that this advancement brings.
[ Written by - Denise Tubat ]
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