Talking' CCTV cameras have arrived

[TRUTH]

Big Brother is not only watching you - now he's barking orders too. Britain's first 'talking' CCTV cameras have arrived, publicly berating bad behaviour and shaming offenders into acting more responsibly.

The system allows control room operators who spot any anti-social acts - from dropping litter to late-night brawls - to send out a verbal warning: 'We are watching you'.

Middlesbrough has fitted loudspeakers on seven of its 158 cameras in an experiment already being hailed as a success. Jack Bonner, who manages the system, said: 'It is one hell of a deterrent. It's one thing to know that there are CCTV cameras about, but it's quite another when they loudly point out what you have just done wrong.

'Most people are so ashamed and embarrassed at being caught they quickly slink off without further trouble.

'There was one incident when two men started fighting outside a nightclub. One of the control room operators warned them over the loudspeakers and they looked up, startled, stopped fighting and scarpered in opposite directions.

'This isn't about keeping tabs on people, it's about making the streets safer for the law-abiding majority and helping to change the attitudes of those who cause trouble. It challenges unacceptable behaviour and makes people think twice.'

The Mail on Sunday watched as a cyclist riding through a pedestrian area was ordered to stop.

'Would the young man on the bike please get off and walk as he is riding in a pedestrian area,' came the command.

The surprised youth stopped, and looked about. A look of horror spread across his face as he realised the voice was referring to him.

He dismounted and wheeled his bike through the crowded streets, as instructed.

Law-abiding shopper Karen Margery, 40, was shocked to hear the speakers spring into action as she walked past them.

Afterwards she said: 'It's quite scary to realise that your every move could be monitored - it really is like Big Brother.

'But Middlesbrough does have a big problem with anti-social behaviour, so it is very reassuring.'

The scheme has been introduced by Middlesbrough mayor Ray Mallon, a former police superintendent who was dubbed Robocop for pioneering the zero-tolerance approach to crime.

He believes the talking cameras will dramatically cut not just anti-social behaviour, but violent crime, too.

And if the city centre scheme proves a success, it will be extended into residential areas.

The control room operators have been given strict guidelines about what commands they can give. Yelling 'Oi you, stop that', is not permitted.

Instead, their instructions make the following suggestions: 'Warning - you are being monitored by CCTV - Warning - you are in an alcohol-free zone, please refrain from drinking'; and Warning - your behaviour is being monitored by CCTV. It is being recorded and the police are attending.'

Mr Bonner said: 'We always make the requests polite, and if the offender obeys, the operator adds 'thank you'. We think that's a nice finishing touch.

'It would appear that the offenders are the only ones who find the audio cameras intrusive. The vast majority of people welcome these cameras.

'Put it this way, we never have requests to remove them.'

But civil rights campaigners have argued that the talking cameras are no 'magic bullet', in the fight against crime.

Liberty spokesman Doug Jewell said: 'None of us likes litterbugs or yobs playing up on a Saturday night, but talking CCTV cameras are no substitute for police officers on the beat.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_artic le_id=405477

[sr4470]

The telescreen is here.

[graphicequaliser]

Roll on when we have a global database of everyone's DNA patterns, GPS chip implants in every human, and free international access through the Internet of everyone else's details. Come on, if you've got nothing to hide... Where would that leave "National Security"? If the public can put up with these cameras all over cities, then they should have no objection to giving DNA samples, and having an innocuous GPS tracking chip implanted in them. If they have any objections, they must be hiding something, therefore arrest them as a threat to "National Security".

If someone doesn't want to tell you their medical history, shopping habits, sexual frequency and proclivity, shoe size, familial disposition, and recreational drug habits, then they must be hiding something.

I know my comment sounds incredibly sarcastic, but I am really serious. I have no secrets, and I don't trust people who contend that secrets are a necessary part of society. They are not.

[sr4470]

GE, could you explain your view on these minus the sarcasm? Its hard to tell what you actually think...

[graphicequaliser]

My own view is that, if these details were globally inspectable by anyone, and no information was hidden, then, yes, it would be fine by me. Except for the GPS tracking device, because I don't like "being assimilated by the Borg" ie. sticking bits of metal in my body. Oh, and the DNA thing because someone could obtain a flake of my dandruff and fit me up as having been at the crime scene of Dr. Kelly!

In fact, it's really a very bad idea indeed. You could really "frame" people, so that the evidence would appear incontrovertible. "Your Honour, the GPS says the suspect was there, the DNA says the suspect was there, so, despite the 127 people at the party across town, who are all willing to act as the suspect's alibis, we must convict the suspect of first degree murder. Life!"

Also, I am sure that, with such a system in place, politicians and corporate leaders would get "found guilty" a whole lot more often! So, they'd probably stop it becoming a reality with their paid lobbyists for "human rights". What a joke society is! "Human Rights" lobbyists actually represent the protection of those in power from conviction!

[sr4470]

Moreover, if you're tracked and tagged like cattle, you can be put down like cattle.

[graphicequaliser]

Put down like the Jews in WW2.

But, if you could guarantee such a system would not be abused to fit people up (and nobody could!), would GPS tagging and DNA sampling solve crime? Eventually, a lot of cases would arise where a recorder device would have been more useful than a GPS tag. So, they up the ante, and re-implant everyone with "viewers" (a new technology which allows complete access to the implantee's five senses!) and now "agents" can virtually live other people's lives. If it got this far, would we see an end to crime? Again, no, because there will be times when such "viewer" records are faked (as in a good Next Gen episode where Riker is accused of murder on the strength of falsified logs from a "viewer"-like device, and a dog proves his innocence). So, intense surveillance will not thwart crime.

Other ideas bandied around govt. circles involve more direct emotional control of the citizen. There was talk of implanted devices that control the state of consciousness, the mood and motor functions. If someone gets "out of hand" you can instantly render them unconscious! Also, nanotechnology used to control individual brain neurons! At that stage, I am not sure we would be called "humans" any more!

[sr4470]

There is very little evidence that proves CCTV directly reduces crime...and who watches the watchmen?