THE PRIVACY-SECURITY DILEMMA: THE IMPACT OF MASS SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGIES ON HUMAN RIGHTS

The rapid proliferation of digital surveillance technologies has profoundly reshaped the balance between individual freedoms and national security. This study investigates how contemporary surveillance regimes, intensified by artificial intelligence and big data analytics, impact fundamental human rights—especially the right to privacy. Drawing upon the historical evolution of the right to privacy and post-9/11 legal transformations, the paper demonstrates how national security narratives have normalized mass surveillance under the guise of public safety. The legal frameworks of international human rights instruments, such as the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), are evaluated in light of state and corporate surveillance practices. The analysis also focuses on the discriminatory potential of algorithmic decision-making and facial recognition technologies, which disproportionately affect marginalized communities. Through a normative and comparative approach, the study critically examines surveillance frameworks in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France, as well as key jurisprudence from the European Court of Human Rights and constitutional courts. The findings reveal a growing tension between technological capabilities and democratic principles. In response, the paper proposes a multi-dimensional policy approach based on four pillars: ensuring legality, legitimacy, and proportionality of surveillance measures; establishing robust independent oversight and transparency mechanisms; promoting digital rights education; and reforming international human rights law to address transnational and algorithmic threats. Ultimately, the study argues that preserving human dignity in the digital age requires a careful recalibration of security and liberty through law, ethics, and civic awareness.