Wednesday, 14 May 2008

Who is watching?

On my last trip to London, I became very aware of the fact that there were cameras (CCTV) almost everywhere. I was in my friend's kitchen looking out and it occurred to me that there was a camera in her back yard! I got to thinking; how many cameras are there in London and who is really watching us? In the short journey to my friend's office I saw the cameras in the bus, at the stop lights, and at strategic places on the streets. There were cameras in the tube and train stations...just everywhere. I was told that on average during a regular day in London you may be captured about 200 times by CCTV and that the city has the most public surveillance worldwide. There are cameras all over the highways especially in slower speed areas and if they catch you speeding you will find a traffic ticket coming to you via the post! The only good thing is that in many areas there are signs posted that there is CCTV in operation so at least you know.One of those signs giving notice, right beside the big No Smoking sign. As of July 2007 smoking is prohibited in all enclosed buildings in the UK. Cameras at the Train Station
Cameras in South Kensington near Musuem RowCameras on the bus (London transit)
Outside my friend's window... the camera in her backyard!





In Norwich it is the same ... only to a lesser degree I suppose because the city is smaller...on Campus cameras are everwhere.Outside my Campus residence
One of those signsCameras for my protection... Really?



This gives new meaning to that old Jermaine Jackson song..."I always feel like somebody's watching me, and I have no privacy" Only unlike the song nobody's playing tricks... There really is someone watching. The question is who is it? And what are 'they' really doing with all that video footage?

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