Some people believe that governments should have access to people’s mobile phone call records and messages for safety reasons. Others believe that this information is private and should not be available without permission. Discuss both these views and give your opinion. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

On the one hand,
as a result
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of technological development nowadays, phones have become a real weapon, not only a way of communication. Many countries, especially unstable ones, need to track mobile phone activity to avoid terrorism and dangerous
crimes
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. Terrorists and criminals usually use their mobile phones to share crucial
information
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as well as
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to plan their
crimes
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, which is, without a doubt, a huge danger.
Therefore
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, by tracking and monitoring their calls, governments can prevent serious
crimes
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, despite the ethical concerns. Taking the example of the terrorist attack that took place in Tunisia in 2018, if the government had not obtained
information
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and details by tracking the messages, the result could have been even more serious. That’s why access to personal
information
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can sometimes bring important benefits for the country.
On the other hand
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, by tracking phone call records and messages, people’s personal
information
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can be stolen or misused, which leads to a reduction in trust between citizens and the government. People may feel constantly watched, and
this
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can affect their freedom of expression. A clear example is the
Wikileaks
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WikiLeaks
show examples
scandal, which revealed massive data leaks and showed how governments can abuse their access to private
information
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.
This
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incident proved that giving authorities unlimited access to citizens’ data can create serious problems and weaken the relationship between the population and the state. In conclusion, it is true that monitoring phone calls and messages can help a country stay safe and avoid different types of
crimes
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.
However
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, every citizen has the right to protect their personal
information
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, and
such
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an act should be controlled and limited. In my opinion, governments must find a balance between national security and respect for individual privacy.

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task response
Add a short, clear intro that states the topic and what you will cover.
coherence cohesion
Make each paragraph have one main idea and a clear link to your view.
task response
Use more precise facts or names for your examples and show how they back the point.
coherence cohesion
Keep long sentences easy and check you end with your view.
task response
You discuss both sides and give your own view.
coherence cohesion
There is a good use of linking words to move from one idea to the next.
Structure your answers in logical paragraphs

The easiest way to score well on the IELTS Task 2 writing portion is to structure your writing in a solid essay format.

A strong argument essay structure can be split up into 4 paragraphs, each containing 4 sentences (except the conclusion paragraph, which only contains 3 sentences).

Stick to this essay structure:

  • Paragraph 1 - Introduction
  • Paragraph 2 - First supporting paragraph
  • Paragraph 3 - Second supporting paragraph
  • Paragraph 4 - Conclusion
Topic Vocabulary:
  • access
  • privacy
  • communication data
  • public safety
  • terrorist activities
  • serious crimes
  • monitoring
  • tracked
  • unauthorized access
  • fundamental human right
  • abuse of power
  • infringement
  • trust in governmental institutions
  • surveillance capabilities
  • government power
  • overreach
  • strict regulations
  • accountability measures
  • individual rights
  • potential misuse
  • swift interventions
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