The Surveillance Society Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Big Brother

Posted by Alex in Crime & Law, Politics, Travel & Places on October 19, 2007 at 6:52 pm


While Americans fret and debate about roving wiretaps, the ever-lessening privacy, and DNA records taken by the police, Britain is already there – and they don’t seem to mind Big Brother!

Here’s an article at the LA Times by Kim Murphy about how Close Circuit Television cameras (CCTV) are not only pervasive in central London, they can even command you what to do!

The closed-circuit television camera lurking just down the street from the fast-food restaurant bellows menacingly at the first sign of danger to the flora, or a cast-off cigarette butt or fast-food wrapper, for that matter. "Pick it up," commands a booming voice from . . . where, exactly?

The CCTV cameras in Gloucester and several other British towns now come equipped with speakers, meaning Big Brother is not only watching, he’s telling you what to do. [...]

By some estimates, 4.2 million CCTV cameras, or one for every 15 people, quietly, and sometimes not so quietly, monitor the comings and goings of almost everyone — an average person is caught on camera up to 300 times a day.

Link

Previously on Neatorama:
» Using Spy Planes to Identify Homes that are Wasting Energy
» Automatic License Plate Recognition
» Bin Brother is Watching You
» Can Big Brother Hear Me Now? (Image: Image: Lefteris Pitarakis/AP)


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COMMENT

14 comments to "The Surveillance Society Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Big Brother"

  1. Justin
    October 19th, 2007 at 7:03 pm

    The speaker thing is kind of creepy!

    STOP PISSING IN THE ALLEY WAY YOU DRUNK!

  2. Sarah124
    October 19th, 2007 at 8:34 pm

    That's not exactly correct folks.

    Loads of UK newspapers and news programmes have covered this topic, and people are generally not happy about the state of things.

    I fear whoever expressed that opinion is just trying to coax Americans down the same path because "brits are doing it".

  3. Vonskippy
    October 19th, 2007 at 9:12 pm

    No clue what the article said - like most people, not only don't I want a camera watching my every move, but I REFUSE to register just to view a web article (and yes I know about Bugmenot - by why bother, I'm not a trained monkey nor do I like jumping thru hoops).

    Rant aside, studies have shown that there is NO correlation between public surveillance and reduction of crime. That's right, none, zip, nadda - so you p*ss away your privacy, spend all that money on the infrastructure and maintenance and get ZIPPO (except of course less privacy) in return.

  4. Alison
    October 19th, 2007 at 10:49 pm

    I was living in the UK for a while and got so used to the feeling of being on camera (not used to being on CCTV, that is, but knowing they were always there), when I came back to the states I still felt as if I was being watched. Never made me feel more safe, though.

  5. Dim67
    October 20th, 2007 at 1:52 am

    Welcome to 1984.

  6. Rosi
    October 20th, 2007 at 6:45 am

    I live in the UK and it doesn't really bother me. I'm sure the government has better things to do than spy on you constantly. But I have to say I'm definitely in the minority here. People are freaking out about it all over. And it doesn't really stop crime, which is still really high. It's pretty pointless scheme.
    The speaker thing is ridiculous though. Who's going to listen to it?

  7. Justin
    October 20th, 2007 at 10:12 am

    "I was living in the UK for a while and got so used to the feeling of being on camera (not used to being on CCTV, that is, but knowing they were always there), when I came back to the states I still felt as if I was being watched. Never made me feel more safe, though."

    Really? I've been to the UK a couple times and to be honest, I didn't even think about it at all. I did know about them, just didn't bother me I guess.

    And Vonskippy while I have no stats to back up my claim, I would imagine even if they didnt statistically reduce the number of crimes, at least it's easier to find the criminal. Take the London bombings for instance.

  8. Alison
    October 20th, 2007 at 10:56 am

    @Justin: Yeah, I didn't notice the first few times I went there but eventually it was just ridiculous. And the signs they put up everywhere, "Smile, you're probably on CCTV."

    And yes, the people I've spoken to in the UK who think it's a good idea always mention identifying criminals afterward. Still, that doesn't do much to stop the initial crime, apparently.

  9. Justin
    October 20th, 2007 at 2:53 pm

    Just curious where you heard that, cause that seems counter-intuitive.

  10. Powell
    October 20th, 2007 at 4:39 pm

    "Britain is already there - and they don’t seem to mind Big Brother!"
    That is the single most idiotic thing I have read on this site ever.
    Who was asked? Who responded that they "dont mind".
    This is a propaganda piece plain and simple.
    I guess "minding" the constant surveliance is a thought crime.

  11. lil Jimmy Eat it
    October 21st, 2007 at 5:51 am

    I don't care if the brits are down on their knees thanking the gestapo, I DON'T WANT CCV IN AMERICA. Last time I checked Freedom meant being free and not being monitored by your government. Anybody who says this is a good idea is lair and possibly some sort of tool of oppression. Keep America Free! Vote Ron Paul! We won't get friggin' CCV on his watch.

  12. dave p.
    October 21st, 2007 at 5:56 am

    so first they gave up their right to keep and bear arms to "reduce crime" then their right to privacy for the same reason, yet their crime rate (both violent and non) creeps higher and higher. seems these people don't much value their freedom? I'd enjoy being proven wrong there, but at what point is it to much? how dystopian an existence can you brits handle?

    -dave p.

  13. FetishForPerception
    October 21st, 2007 at 12:55 pm

    Oh yes! Us Brits love our CCTV nation... Where this article got that from, I do not know!

    I'm sure the actually statistic for how many cameras there are for each person was higher, something like 1 for every 4 people, not that you can really trust any statistic anyway.

  14. Sarah531
    October 21st, 2007 at 6:25 pm

    Dave P: I don't much like the surveillance society either, but it's never caused any trouble for me, or indeed anyone I know. When I I've only ever seen one or two guns in my entire life and frankly I'd rather keep it that way, and I do value my freedom, indeed. On the other hand, I don't live in London.

    Believe me, the USA and Britain are pretty much the same in terms of freedom. They have their ups and downs. All this omg-we're-more-free-than-you (which happens on both sides, hell, more often on our side, actually) doesn't particularly help anyone.

    Er...hope that proved you wrong? Or something.


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