Cotty wrote:
On 16/8/05, Toralf Lund, discombobulated, unleashed:
Personally I dislike the surveillance cameras that are popping up all
over the place. I think they represent a restriction of my personal
freedom as well as a way for authorities to give the public a false
sense of security, and I object to both. However, if a hobby
photographers/artist/newsreporter wants to take my picture in public, I
don't object one bit. I guess I prefer being seen by Little Brother, if
you know what I mean...
Before 7/7 in London I would have tended to agree, but the speed with
which the bombers were identified and caught was partly a result of CCTV
images. I've decided that the threat to life from mass murderers
outweighs the personal freedom issue. I'm happy with it.
Since I already have no expectation of privacy in public, the
surveylance cameras aren't infringing on any expectation of privacy. I
would have been greatly relieved to have been observed by surveylance
cameras as I was threatened by druggies near Waterfront Park in Portland
a few years ago, as I mentioned in an earlier post. Had surveylance
cameras been there they wouldn't have been so bold, and in fact, may
have even chosen somewhere less public to hang out intimidating people.
