Securing your family’s safety and future is a top priority for every person. While people are busy installing the latest and hi-tech home security system just to make sure that no burglar or intruder can come near their loved ones or their hard earned property, there seems to be an issue that most people overlook. For example, there are some instances that people risk their privacy for the sake of their security by allowing other people to spy on their lives. Come to think of it, are the current security measures we employ truly right and applicable? Are we aware of everything that we should know to keep our home safe? And is there a home security issue no one is talking about at the moment?
The Home Security Way Back Then
It might be helpful for us to look back first on what we know about home security before moving forward to its future. Back in the 1850s, home protection was greatly improved thanks to the advent of electricity. The world’s first electromagnetic alarm system was patented in June 21, 1853 under the name of Augustus Russell Pope from Somerville, Boston. The alarm system was composed of a series of wires connected to a large vibrating bell and then you attach the magnets to your door. When someone unexpectedly opens it, it will ring off the bell. During that time, it was deemed effective to hinder sudden robberies and it meant that rich people as well as businesses could already secure their properties.
1871 was also a milestone for home security, thanks to Edward A. Calahan. He formed the American District Telegraph (ADT) company and is attributed for making the first emergency boxes that served as a monitor to track fire and burglar alarms. The system does not only trigger the alarm but it also sends a signal to the emergency central monitoring station for prompt actions.
The 20th century also offered breakthroughs and innovations in home security. Video surveillance technology was first developed in the 1940s but it was just used as a home security feature in the 1970s. The early models of video home security back then had a large motorized camera that views the exterior of a home through four peepholes in the front door. The images were grainy but it was enough during that time to transmit footages of visitors to a TV monitor in a separate room where the owner could control the movements of the camera.
1950s saw the birth of the first motion detector through the efforts of Samuel Bagno. It was invented to act as a burglar alarm, applying frequencies that humans can’t hear, such as fundamentals of radar to ultrasonic waves, to be able to detect a burglar or fire. 1970s was also monumental for the first motion detectors as these years paved the way for engineers to integrate it to the alarm systems for the very first time.
The Things That You (Might) Have Overlooked
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Fast forward to the 21st century, home security is not just about buying this or that to up the ante of your family’s security. More than that, you need to check if there are problems with home security systems that you have set in place. You don’t want the idea of spending money for home security products that don’t work when they are needed the most, or burglars goofing around your house because of an alarm that can’t detect burglar movements.
If you are inexperienced with installing home security systems, you might encounter different kinds of problem that might give burglars an easy access to your home such as your driveways, since driveways are highways of burglars. Address each problem early on rather than keeping silent about it just because you don’t want to feel stupid in using each security item.
There are people who make the mistake of having an incomplete home coverage. They fall trap to low-cost packages that provide little home coverage, focusing on doors and few windows. There are also those who buy and install security items that aren’t compatible with each other. This can compromise your security since it can result into an electromagnetic interference which can destroy both of your items’ functions. Lastly, there are people who don’t turn on their security system just to avoid false alarms. Since they try to avoid the inconveniences of false alarms, they also give a “go” signal to intruders to easily enter their premises.
Being aware of these things and seeking help is way better than ignoring it and trying to solve it without getting equipped. For example, you can ask help from your security expert to properly install a driveway alarm to guard this possible entry point of burglars rather than installing it your way without doing it properly. You can also install alarm sticker decals that remind intruders that they are approaching a guarded place. Doing this can help guarantee home and family safety with security systems rather than using such items the wrong way.
Revealing the Hidden Security Issues
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Along with the technological advancements of home security systems, there are hidden security issues that also need to be understood and examined for us to be aware of how it can affect our daily lives.
When it comes to privacy, Steve Hunt notes that we make our lives visible and digitally recorded for everyone to see by installing scanning devices and monitoring cameras. We tend not to protect our privacy when we are the ones sharing our personal information or allowing others to see our every move.
For instance, in San Francisco, their BART subway system can analyze the “suspicious” behaviors of everyday people going in and out of the subway and it can also alert guards for a possible criminal or terrorist activity, which can also help address an area of the homeland security issue. They can easily scan people who might be acting suspiciously. The features are great but what will happen to the recorded footage? More importantly, what if the “suspicious” activity will not lead to a possible crime eventually? The question here is what might happen on stored footages that can be easily accessed by home security companies, for example, owning the surveillance cameras.
There are also people who are very much concerned with their right to privacy, especially when surveillance cameras invade the said right. The Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution states that it can protect a person’s right to privacy in private areas, therefore security cameras located at homes cannot proceed in recording a person without his own permission.
The Issue that Needs to Be Discussed
In the end, whether its the issue of privacy or security item malfunction, these should be addressed systematically. If there’s anything that you need help with installing home security devices, ask help from the experts. If it is regarding the hidden and advanced security features that may or may not harm you, do your research for added home security tips and talk to people who are knowledgeable in that certain area.
Because without the right actions and knowledge, these security issues might put our lives in danger rather than saving it.
John Anderson is a Web Developer, and a Commissioned Artist. He is particular in watching web and social media changes and uses. Follow him on Twitter @johnanderson090.