Future Scenarios. Society - the last CCTV camera is pulled down.
FUTURE SCENARIOS.SOCIETY - THE LAST CCTV CAMERA IS PULLED DOWN.
Thanks to EBSCO for the following.
HOODIES AND TOILET PAPER HEADWEAR GO OUT OF FASHION
Sun, The; 29.04.2010, p55-55, 1
A thief wrapped his head in loo paper so he wouldn't be spotted on CCTV for a hold-up in Lincoln, Nebraska, USA. ANZ REF. VIA EBSCO
CCTV cameras will not be installed at Varsity Lakes Skate Park, despite its reputation as a Gold Coast graffiti hotspot.
Area councillor Jan Grew said while the amount of new graffiti at the park had decreased in recent weeks, the cameras had been ineffective.
``The trial did not work because the vandals wore hoodies to hide their identity,'' she said. ``It is a difficult situation because the kids are not stupid and are obviously not going to look at the cameras.
Source: Gold Coast Sun, Apr 01, 2010, p10, 1p
Item: 201004012010545011
NO MORE FINES FOR HONKING A CAR HORN IN PROTEST AT A CCTV CAMERA
THE first item of business for workers on a controversial public housing project at Bluewater Harbour yesterday was to put in CCTV cameras - a move that has outraged residents.
Late yesterday, Housing Minister Karen Struthers justified the move by saying the cameras were installed as a security measure.
But that has done little to quell residents' anger with several claiming the cameras are an invasion of privacy.
The security cameras have already claimed one victim after Bluewater Harbour resident Nathan Shingles saw the installation and honked his car horn in protest.
Less than 30 minutes later, police were at Mr Shingles' home and fined him $160 for the improper use of his car horn. Mr Shingles said he would appeal the fine in court.
ORWELL's FEARFUL PREDICTION EASED
Orwell's nightmare has come true
IF THERE was any doubt we are sleepwalking towards an Orwellian state-controlled society, the revelation that the police are secretly snapping up to 14m drivers each day would seem to confirm it
We are one of the most spied-on societies in the world, with about 4.2m CCTV cameras for a population of just over 60m. China, a virtual police state with 1.3 billion people, has only 2.75m cameras.
Frank Greaney, Liverpool Wrong arm of the law Your article refers to the stopping, searching and threatening with arrest of a man and his daughter under the Terrorism Act. The justification was that their car had been spotted near a demonstration against the arms trade.
Since when has participation in a demonstration been a justification for treatment as a possible criminal? In what way can it be considered an act of terrorism? The problem with surveillance, as with antiterrorism laws, is that it is disgracefully abused. Judith Menes, Consett, Co Durham
Source: Sunday Times, The, Apr 11, 2010, p20, 1p
Item: 7EH34419605
COUCH DETECTIVES OUT OF WORK
In theory, cameras not only catch criminals in the act but also deter them from offending while making the average citizen feel more secure.That perception of safety then fills the streets with confident pedestrians, thereby producing real safety. But theory falls short of reality.
In the UK, which has embraced the technology with fundamentalist zeal, wide research suggests CCTV does little or nothing to reduce crimes of violence, although it has a significant impact on vehicle theft.
Britons have spent at least half a billion pounds on more than 4 million cameras (they gobble up 80 per cent of the Home Office budget for crime prevention); but London's Metropolitan Police revealed last year that only one crime is solved for every 1000 of the capital's million-plus cameras, not least because it is difficult to watch them all.
That's where the Internet Eyes scheme comes in. If it passes the UK privacy commissioner's scrutiny, idle reality-TV addicts will soon be encouraged to monitor live CCTV footage for criminal activity,
with a 1000 ($1720) monthly prize for the couch potato with the most scalps.
You can't even go for a night-time stroll with your lover these days without a closed-circuit television lens capturing your indiscretion. At least that's what Michelle Chantelois hopes, seeking CCTV confirmation of her claimed promenade with South Australia's Premier, Mike Rann.
So watch out, wandering politicians; how long before these amateur Philip Marlowes are engaged by jilted dames bent on revenge?
Dianne Ollerenshaw
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2 comments :
CCTV helps them catch lots of villains on The Bill. : - )
So how would this apply to Libraries in the future?
There could be a mass protest against CCTV cameras taking away civil rights resulting in a reduction in their use. This might spill over into Libraries as Patron's feel they and whatever it is they are doing/reading/viewing in the Library are being watched. In addition to this, many CCTV cameras are ineffective with poor visuals making it difficult to actaully catch anyone doing the wrong thing. As CCTV cameras get pulled down there may be more attempts to steal, damage items etc. Libraries may need to think of another form of security on the market to replace the cameras. Who knows, we could all be microchipped! If that's the case I really hope I didn't vote that government in.
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