▁for ▁the ▁purpose ▁of ▁influen cing , ▁man aging ▁or ▁direct ing . ▁This ▁can ▁include ▁observation ▁from ▁a ▁distance ▁by ▁means ▁of ▁electronic ▁equipment , ▁such ▁as ▁closed - circ uit ▁television ▁( C CT V ), ▁or ▁inter ception ▁of ▁electron ically ▁transm itted ▁information , ▁such ▁as ▁Internet ▁traffic . ▁It ▁can ▁also ▁include ▁simple ▁technical ▁methods , ▁such ▁as ▁human ▁intelligence ▁gather ing ▁and ▁postal ▁inter ception . ▁ ▁Sur ve ill ance ▁is ▁used ▁by ▁govern ments ▁for ▁intelligence ▁gather ing , ▁prevent ion ▁of ▁crime , ▁the ▁protection ▁of ▁a ▁process , ▁person , ▁group ▁or ▁object , ▁or ▁the ▁investigation ▁of ▁crime . ▁It ▁is ▁also ▁used ▁by ▁criminal ▁organizations ▁to ▁plan ▁and ▁commit ▁cr imes , ▁and ▁by ▁business es ▁to ▁gather ▁intelligence ▁on ▁their ▁compet itors , ▁supp liers ▁or ▁customers . ▁Relig ious ▁organis ations ▁charged ▁with ▁detect ing ▁her es y ▁and ▁heter odox y ▁may ▁also ▁carry ▁out ▁surve ill ance . ▁Aud itors ▁carry ▁out ▁a ▁form ▁of ▁surve ill ance . ▁ ▁Sur ve ill ance ▁can ▁be ▁used ▁to ▁viol ate ▁people ' s ▁priv acy , ▁and ▁as ▁such ▁is ▁often ▁opposed ▁by ▁civil ▁libert ies ▁activ ists . ▁A ▁liberal ▁dem ocracy ▁may ▁have ▁laws ▁which ▁restrict ▁domestic ▁government ▁and ▁private ▁use ▁of ▁surve ill ance . ▁Author itar ian ▁govern ments ▁s eld om ▁have ▁any ▁domestic ▁restrictions , ▁and ▁international ▁esp ion age ▁is ▁common ▁among ▁all ▁types ▁of ▁countries . ▁ ▁Method s