Created by Jonathan Nolan and aired on CBS from 2011 to 2016, “Person of Interest” is an American science fiction, crime, and drama television series.[1] Beyond being a significant television success with 5 seasons and 103 episodes, it is also a crucial production containing pioneering information and insights into the security reflexes that developed in the United States (U.S.) after the September 11 (9/11) 2001 terrorist attacks and the capabilities that states and non-state actors could achieve with the advanced technological possibilities of the 21st century. With a rating of 8.5/10 on Imdb.com, “Person of Interest” is one of the most successful series of recent times, and its approach to security technologies makes it a production that deserves close examination by Political Science and International Relations experts.
Plot
The series centres on Harold Finch (Michael Emerson), a brilliant and billionaire software engineer who develops an artificial intelligence system called “The Machine” for the government after the 9/11 attacks. The Machine scans all media and surveillance cameras to predict future acts of violence. The government only considers “major” threats like terrorism (on the “relevant list”), while ignoring “minor” crimes involving ordinary people (on the “irrelevant list”). Unable to accept this, Finch creates a backdoor in the system, daily collecting the Social Security Number of a potential victim or perpetrator. To rescue these people and prevent crimes, Finch enlists John Reese (Jim Caviezel), a former CIA agent presumed dead. Reese’s field skills and Finch’s technological prowess combine to launch a clandestine battle for justice on the streets of New York.
Main Actors and Characters
Jim Caviezel (John Reese): Former U.S. Special Forces soldier and former CIA agent. After meeting Finch, he finds a new purpose in life and manages field operations.
Michael Emerson (Harold Finch): The creator of the Machine, a mysterious and computer genius billionaire.
Taraji P. Henson (Joss Carter): An honest NYPD homicide detective who initially pursues Reese and Finch but later helps them.
Kevin Chapman (Lionel Fusco): A former corrupt NYPD detective whom Reese initially blackmails into becoming an informant, but who later becomes a loyal part of the team.
Amy Acker (Root/Samantha Groves): A genius hacker and assassin who can communicate directly with the Machine.
Sarah Shahi (Sameen Shaw): A former ISA agent who eliminates numbers on the government’s terror list and later crosses paths with Finch and Reese.
Analysis of the Series from the Perspective of Security Technologies and the ‘Digital Age’
The TV series "Person of Interest" realistically addresses mass surveillance, artificial intelligence, and algorithmic security policies, exploring issues of state surveillance, big data analytics, and AI autonomy. In this context, the series is notable for exposing the mass surveillance and data collection instruments developed and implemented by some advanced democratic (the U.S., European countries) and authoritarian (People’s Republic of China) states to protect their citizens from threats. While such practices are generally effective in the U.S. and Western countries in the context of security measures and counterterrorism, in countries like China and Russia they are used not only for security purposes but also to control citizens. In fact, the “point system” recently implemented in China evaluates the status of citizens and foreign residents in many areas, from finding jobs to obtaining loans and booking tickets.
In this context, the first thing that stands out is that the Machine, developed by Finch, connects to and collects information from cell phones and other cameras and surveillance systems on roads and in establishments. In this way, the Machine can access millions of security cameras, phone taps, and digital tracking devices throughout New York City, thereby obtaining the raw data source for an autonomous system. While this might have seemed somewhat “fantastic” when the series was first aired, with today’s technological capabilities it is quite possible, even very ordinary.
“The Machine”
Another important aspect is “Big Data” management. In the series, the Machine tracks people’s digital footprints, accumulates large amounts of data in its vast database and memory, generates analyses and conclusions from this accumulated data, and by monitoring communication networks in real time, predicts crime in advance, alerting Finch and Reese, who have access to the Machine, in order to prevent it. While portrayed quite positively in the series, this aspect undoubtedly provides significant opportunities for states, state officials, and malicious individuals to violate personal rights and freedoms. This is, of course, also true for “social media” applications.
The Machine, an autonomous artificial intelligence model, suggests a new era (the Digital Age) that may begin soon with further advancements in AI technologies. In this sense, the Machine, which distinguishes between events directly related to state security and those unrelated to it, actually points to a system where intelligence (for crimes against the state) and police organizations (for crimes against people) could operate separately.
However, as the series clearly demonstrates, in such an environment the question “Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?” (Who will spy on the spying?) becomes reasonable, granting state officials or those with access to such information an abnormal devolution of power that can undermine constitutional equality in democratic states. In an environment where individual privacy is almost non-existent, people are robotized, and the system reaches an uncontrollable, immense power, one undoubtedly thinks of George Orwell’s “Big Brother” and the novel 1984, transforming a technological utopia into a technological dystopia.
Even if individuals do not commit crimes or misdemeanours, when those in positions of power deviate from good intentions and wish to portray individuals, they dislike as guilty, preventing such actions and ensuring justice becomes impossible. This demonstrates the need for much more serious and comprehensive proposals and ideas regarding 21st-century governance and the oversight of state security agencies.
In this sense, it is no coincidence that some of the illegal activities of the NSA (National Security Agency), the authoritative institution in this field in the U.S., were exposed by the revelations of former American agent Edward Snowden, causing reactions all over the world. In subsequent years, scandals (for example, Cambridge Analytica) regarding the use of data collected on behalf of governments, corporations, and politicians by seemingly innocent social media applications (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram) also highlight the importance of this issue and trigger more serious philosophical, political, and legal searches regarding the principles by which surveillance can be carried out in democratic societies.
Another important point is the competition in artificial intelligence and technology between the United States and the People's Republic of China, the two most ambitious states in this field today, reminiscent of the “space race” of the 1960s. This is particularly significant at a time when discussions about “power transition” are taking place.[2]
Conclusion
In conclusion, the globally acclaimed and award-winning series “Person of Interest” also points to the risk of the glorified security bureaucracy or “vigilante” figures going astray due to lack of oversight and arbitrariness, and suggests that democratic societies, especially as we enter the Digital Age and the era of artificial intelligence, need to be more careful and cautious.
Prof. Dr. Ozan ÖRMECİ
FOOTNOTES
[1] For details, see; https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1839578/.
[2] See; Örmeci, Ozan & Kısacık, Sina & Helvacıköylü, Gamze (2024), “U.S.-China Competition: A Power Transition Perspective”, China Quarterly of International Strategic Studies, Vol. 9, no: 1, pp. 1-25.
