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posted by on Friday March 17 2017, @09:35PM   Printer-friendly
from the and-everyone-will-have-to-follow-them dept.

It has been said that Britain has more surveillance cameras than any other country in the world. This proliferation of CCTV cameras led the government to establish a surveillance camera commissioner responsible for overseeing their governance – the only country in the world to do so. In another first, the commissioner has now released a national strategy for England and Wales to set out how CCTV should be operated and to ensure that cameras are used in the public interest.

The growing prevalence of cameras and greater understanding of the many ways in which we are surveilled has led many – including the current commissioner, Tony Porter, to voice concern that Britain is "sleepwalking into a surveillance state". This raises critical questions about whether we can be confident that all these cameras are being used in a way the public would approve of – and if not, whether regulation can force CCTV operators into line.

It's not just the sheer number of cameras that is of concern. Deployed by many public sector and private organisations in a fragmented and piecemeal manner over the last 20 years, different systems offer vastly different technical capabilities and are used in different ways. There is a lack of standardisation and limited public awareness about what CCTV cameras are capable of and what they are used for. This is particularly important given developments in facial recognition and movement tracking technology.

There are also concerns about the misuse of cameras, for example camera operators abusing their position for voyeurism or commercial gain. Or cameras that do little to deter crime, where image quality was too poor for use in court, or even instances where cameras that could have provided vital footage were switched off to save money. With advances in digital technology, such as face recognition, there are also issues about privacy, data sharing and profiling and the possible "chilling effect" that this will have on society.

Open Barn Door, meet Escaped Horse.


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  • (Score: 4, Insightful) by MrGuy on Friday March 17 2017, @09:44PM (9 children)

    by MrGuy (1007) on Friday March 17 2017, @09:44PM (#480645)

    This raises critical questions about whether we can be confident that all these cameras are being used in a way the public would approve of

    They're not.

    and if not, whether regulation can force CCTV operators into line.

    They won't.

    If you want bonus points, "they won't" for two reasons. First, there's no appetite in any law-and-order western society for any regulation on surveillance if there's even a shred of "think of the childrens!" remote possibility that the information gathered might help solve a crime. Second, there's strong appetite for behavioral profiling building for commercial gain, and the odds of any regulator taking a stand against big business and all their dollars just to keep your privacy intact is unlikely. They'll "strike a balance" between privacy and commercial concerns, the "balance" point being set at "whatever the corporate interests tell us they want."

    • (Score: 0, Flamebait) by Ethanol-fueled on Friday March 17 2017, @10:50PM (3 children)

      by Ethanol-fueled (2792) on Friday March 17 2017, @10:50PM (#480680) Homepage

      Here in San Diego (specifically Ocean Beach) a couple of bums got into a fight and one of them got stabbed, so a measure was proposed to put cameras fucking everywhere, notably facing the beach as well. All of the hysterical housewives and other cowards voted for it, and now law enforcement has carte blanche to perv on everybody on the sand and swimming in the ocean.

      The moral of the story is that this is the kind of thing that happens when women are allowed to vote on things.

      • (Score: 2) by bob_super on Friday March 17 2017, @10:55PM (2 children)

        by bob_super (1357) on Friday March 17 2017, @10:55PM (#480683)

        I'd expect guys to want the cameras, while women would wall off or bulldoze the beach...

        • (Score: 1) by Ethanol-fueled on Friday March 17 2017, @11:00PM (1 child)

          by Ethanol-fueled (2792) on Friday March 17 2017, @11:00PM (#480687) Homepage

          At that same beach, actually, there's a spot south past the rocks that's known as a makeout spot -- and hanging out there are pervs with telephoto lenses who wait until dusk to snap couples in the act.

          Source: I caught one of the motherfuckers standing on a rock right above my friend and I recording us.

          • (Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Friday March 17 2017, @11:41PM

            by Anonymous Coward on Friday March 17 2017, @11:41PM (#480701)

            That explains the telephoto lens.

    • (Score: 1) by anubi on Saturday March 18 2017, @06:33AM (4 children)

      by anubi (2828) on Saturday March 18 2017, @06:33AM (#480781) Journal

      I get the strong idea that once technology enables certain things, the cat is out of the bag, and trying to control it is futile.

      Among the things:
      1) Invention of how to kindle a Fire
      2) Invention of Camera: Surveillance
      3) Invention of Computer/Digital mass storage/Internet: Copyright

      Technology advances causes a lot of changes.

      Those who are too attached to the old ways will likely expend lots of futile energy trying to maintain yesterday's realities.

      There are a lot of things I have had to surrender ... like my privacy. Its gonna be harder and harder to not be naked as a jaybird where anyone interested can dig up the tiniest details of my life...

      And I also get the benefits of using that same technology to get into things other people would just as soon keep me out of.

      Both the goose and the gander have use of the technology.

      --
      "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
      • (Score: 2) by frojack on Saturday March 18 2017, @07:25AM (1 child)

        by frojack (1554) on Saturday March 18 2017, @07:25AM (#480795) Journal

        3) Invention of Computer/Digital mass storage/Internet: Copyright

        Copyright preceded computers by several hundred years. 1710 is the oft quoted date, but copyright issues are on record as early as 560 AD.

        Never the less, the Germans have (or so they claim) withstood the pressure for CCTV in public spaces. It actually varies a lot by which part of Germany you are in.
        It seems far easier to keep CCTV out from the start than it is to remove it after it is established.

        --
        No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
        • (Score: 1) by anubi on Saturday March 18 2017, @07:38AM

          by anubi (2828) on Saturday March 18 2017, @07:38AM (#480798) Journal

          Sorry... did not do a good job on that....I meandered too much.

          What I meant was when we learned how to kindle a fire, we lost the ability to control who could have a fire.

          When we learned how to make a camera, we lost the ability to control who could surveil us and retain photo documentation of what we do.

          When we learned how to do computers/internet/mass storage, we lost the ability to enforce copyright.

          Sure, we can nail anyone we find kindling a fire, taking a photo, or copying a song, but its not gonna stop it - all we can do is nail the ones we catch doing it.

          And its whack-a-mole all the way down.

          --
          "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 18 2017, @08:24PM (1 child)

        by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 18 2017, @08:24PM (#480908)

        Those who are too attached to the old ways will likely expend lots of futile energy trying to maintain yesterday's realities.

        Yeah, like the "old ways" of having freedom and privacy. Get with the times, old man! Freedom is so last century!

        • (Score: 1) by anubi on Sunday March 19 2017, @10:57AM

          by anubi (2828) on Sunday March 19 2017, @10:57AM (#481099) Journal

          Yup.. sure got a mixed bag. Old man here, looking back.... and so far I see one main thing that really concerns me, and that is the transfer of wealth to a few, and the enormous amount of debt I see among kids.

          I do not believe all this debt is going to lead to a stable society. Way too many people have nothing to lose. And they are growing up.

          If they see what is going on, and get royally pissed off en masse, they will make the protests we did in the 60's look like a whine session.

          --
          "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
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