Talking CCTV

[Mango]

For those who aren't patitularly aware of the current goings-on in Blighty (or the UK for those who weren't born during the 40s), Britain has seen a huge rise over the last 5 years in CCTV monitoring of its cities and towns. Statistics say that there is one CCTV camera for every 14 people, meaning that the UK has more (CCTV) surveillance apparatus per capita than any other western nation.

Britian is now taking things a step further, after news of a UAV surveillance drone, comes word of a new breed of CCTV tower: one that talks.

Originally tested elsewere in the country, this technology is being installed in various locations around Britian, with talks about it being rolled out nationwide.

My question to you 'Lopers:

1) Do you think this technology is needed, or is it an infringement of your privacy?
2) Do you think that this sets a dangerous precedent, or that it is a logical step forward for monitoring Britin's cities' trouble spots?

3) With its stated purpose to combat anti-social behaviour, how does this relate to the theory of the Panopticon

* While this thread is specific to talking CCTV, you may expand to other forms of visual monitoring such as X-Ray scanning and RFID, if you wish.

[Mr. Happy]

I haven't head the panopticon brought up in a long time

I saw something about this on the news once, back when early versions were being tested. Personnaly, I don't understand how the British stand for this. It seems like a terrible infringement on privacy, even if they are in public placed.

I know it's far off, but this was one of the primary aspects of 1984 (and other similar works). First the watch you, then they take away a few rights, police get more power, more rights are lost, now instead of watching your safety with the cameras they are watching for illegal thoughts.


I don't really want to offend anyone, I live in the USA so I don't really know, but it has always seemed to me that in the UK society is structured in such a way as to belittle, demean, and crush the little people. Maybe nothing so severe, but there are many things I have heard about life and culture there that seem to suggest that the average citizen is a worthless snot, and the government is all powerfull (exagerating to get my meaning accross).


I dunno, it's your guys vote, not mine

[Sorrow]

Whilst in London recently, one of my friends decided he'd take some shots of people walking around the station, unknowingly we stood underneath 5 cameras as if it were a blind spot.
within 2 minutes we had a few officers jump on us asking us to stop filming
I understand the reason behind it all, but seriously as if 2 not-even-adults-yet with a simple video camera are frakkin terrorists or something

That said, well, I don't really care about CCTV cams watching everyone if it helps... well I hope it does.

[Dead-Inside]

I've always thought it's an infringement of privacy rights, aswell as generally quite retarded.

[Shr3d]

I love being watched. What a turn on >_>.

[daap]

Whilst in London recently, one of my friends decided he'd take some shots of people walking around the station, unknowingly we stood underneath 5 camera's as if it were a blind spot.
within 2 minutes we had a few officers jump on us asking us to stop filming

is it illegal to film people ?

i'mean.. i'f you can't do that, then they should not be aloud to do also

[dragonfliet]

I honestly don't see a problem to it. You have no expectation to privacy in a public place, that's just the way it is. Therefore, them having cameras to help prevent and catch crimes isn't a bad thing.

It's not ILLEGAL to film people, but when you are in a city, you often have to get permission from the city in order to do so.

Also, the chance that the cops saw them on the cameras and got there in 2 minutes is SO unlikely that it's not really possible. It's more likely they were patrolling the area anyways.

~Jason

[Sorrow]

It's more likely they were patrolling the area anyways.

Yeah forgot to tell you that
They probably were, but I think what got their attention was the fact that we were underneath 5 cameras where they couldn't see us.
which was purely coincidental btw.
just had a nice view over victoria station.

[Mr. Happy]

Whilst in London recently, one of my friends decided he'd take some shots of people walking around the station, unknowingly we stood underneath 5 camera's as if it were a blind spot.
within 2 minutes we had a few officers jump on us asking us to stop filming

is it illegal to film people ?

i'mean.. i'f you can't do that, then they should not be aloud to do also

I'm pretty sure you can't film airports, trainstations, etc.

Here in the USA you can film whoever the fuck you want, just can't sell it without their permission if it is focued on them.

[Blink]

The UK has gone a bit CCTV mad lately and the sad fact is the Government think it's the way to solve the problems of this country. Unfortunately for us there are so many cunts in power that it is no surpirse when things like this start to phase their way in.

They rely far too much on CCTV and not enough on Police patrols to scare of criminal attacks. Ok, so you've filmed a crime and you can see who done it, but had there been two coppers on the beat there instead the crime wouldn't take place, it's a simple fucking solution and it used to be that way.

But we have Labour in charge and they want to cut costs wherever they can, so things like speed cameras are cheaper then a coppers wage and also make a stupid amount of money.

Don't get me started on immigration, street crime, house prices, tax etc. Britain has been fucked in the arse by the people that run it and it won't be getting any better.

We're all too polite to say anything though...

[Penney]

Shit on parlement's door! That'le surely get the message across! jk

When I saw talking CCTV tower I was thinking a giant citidel that overwatched blocks at a time and communicated with people down below, kinda like HAL

"Open the gate Gal!"
"You know I can't do that Keegan"
"I'm already late for work, open the bloody gate!"
"Well if you got up when your alarm clock went off instead of laying in bed masterbating you wouldn't be in this situation right now!"
"You know you loved it *insert sexy smirk*"

It seems as if London really is turning into AirStrip One. You're hard pressed to find a security camera in any neighborhood's around here, inside banks and some convenciance stores in commerce areas but not in residential. Then again I don't know what kind of actual crime brittan has these days

/endmumble

[Prvt_Peanut]

The UK has gone a bit CCTV mad lately and the sad fact is the Government think it's the way to solve the problems of this country. Unfortunately for us there are so many cunts in power that it is no surpirse when things like this start to phase their way in.

They rely far too much on CCTV and not enough on Police patrols to scare of criminal attacks. Ok, so you've filmed a crime and you can see who done it, but had there been two coppers on the beat there instead the crime wouldn't take place, it's a simple fucking solution and it used to be that way.

But we have Labour in charge and they want to cut costs wherever they can, so things like speed cameras are cheaper then a coppers wage and also make a stupid amount of money.

Don't get me started on immigration, street crime, house prices, tax etc. Britain has been fucked in the arse by the people that run it and it won't be getting any better.

We're all too polite to say anything though...

Immigration really ain't that much of a problem, the country sees lots of benefits, and the downsides are all massively exageratted in the tabloid press

[Jest@]

Blinkeh, you're sounding a little bit Daily Mail there...

But yeah, CCTV has gone nuts in the UK, and it is because people think it'll be a quick-and-cheap fix. But it's not an invasion of privacy imho - just as dragonfliet said, there's no expectation of privacy in a public place to begin with. It's not wrong, even though I think it's stupid and unproductive.

I think the talking CCTV thing is just...nuts. Does anyone really think that'll deter or stop 'hoodies' (the current british media obsession with 'hoddies' is the lamest thing for quite a while, btw)? of course not. They'll just smash the camera and bugger off, like usual.

The one that really shocked/angered/amused me is the device that went on sale last year (I think?) that emits a reeeally unpleasant high-pitched noise that only people under the age of 18-21ish can hear. Now that would really piss me off...not being able to get into the corner shop because of the piercing wail, all because someone else my age tagged the wall there a couple of times, or threw up outside the night before or something.

baaaah this country is inhabited with stupid people...and the worst of them aren't the immigrants, of the 'hoodies' (or whichever other group the Daily Mail chooses to vilify next); they're the ones who have been here since birth.

@ Blink: "But we have Labour in charge and they want to cut costs wherever they can"..Funny, that's exactly what we were all saying about Thatcher in the eighties

[Mr. Happy]

@ Blink: "But we have Labour in charge and they want to cut costs wherever they can"..Funny, that's exactly what we were all saying about Thatcher in the eighties

To be honest, Uk is the one country where I don't really know anything at all about their politics.

But I looked up Labour party and they seem to be a mix of what I know as neoconservatives and libertarians?

[Jest@]

nah, they're a labour party in the original sense (i.e. for the working class)...so left-wing, 'progressive', semi-socialist, originally. But Blair basically re-invented the party to try and do all those things without raising tax, so he basically stole (neo)conservative finance plans and claimed he'd save the world with them. Well..that's not exactly how it's worked out.

sorry, derailed