Privacy and Government

Ethical Considerations of Information Usage

One of the most important parts of the movie is when they break enigma and are faced with decision to save thousands of lives and risk the secrecy of the enigma breaking machine or adopt a statistical strategy to save as many people as possible while still keeping the fact that they broke enigma a secret. In this scene Turning breaks the phone stopping one of his team members calling in the attack to save his brother. This scene raises two questions: was it ethical to make that decision to not save thousands of people for the purpose of saving hundreds of thousands of lives? and does this action violate the rights of the people who are denied the information that could have saved them or a family member? Is it right for Turing or anyone to make decisions about who lives and dies? These questions show us how ethics and natural rights can conflict. I can very easily say that it is ethical for Turing to decide who lives and dies because in the end he is saving more lives, but it is still a violation of human rights. Turing's team member has the natural right to save his brother, yet Turing violates his right by stopping him. 

Governmental Control of Information

The film demonstrates the governments control over the narrative, which causes conflicts between state secrecy and individual rights. For example, Turing and his team have to burn all evidence of their success in breaking enigma, giving them no recognition for their part in the war. Because the government has control over this information, they have control of whether Turing is seen as a criminal or war hero. Another Key instance is when Turing figures out who the Soviet spy is and reports it to his higher up, just to find out the spy was hired on purpose for strategical purposes. This shows how the government uses information and the omission of information to control narratives. They tell the crew that there is a spy amongst them to put them on edge but omit the fact that he was hired purposely. They can also use any evidence of the spy to make out anyone amongst them to be a traitor for strategical purposes. 

Government Surveillance During Wartime

The movie raises important ethical questions about the war time surveillance. For example, Turing and his team were constantly under surveillance at Bletchley Park. they were closely monitored by the government which created a high-pressure environment. For example, the government searched through Turing's desk to try and see if he was a spy. They also broke into the house of his wife finding decrypted Enigma messages that Turing gave her years before. This raises questions of whether it is ethical to invade privacy and break the law for the sake of winning a war.