otterinbham 0 Posted April 4, 2007 Share Posted April 4, 2007 Talking" closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras which allow operators to shout at people behaving badly are to be installed across England, the government announced Wednesday. The scheme lets local council workers in a control centre monitor pictures from the cameras and talk to them if they feel they are doing something wrong. The cameras were piloted in Middlesbrough, north-east England, where they have been used to reprimand vandals and litter bugs, but now loudspeakers are being fitted to cameras in another 20 areas. Britain has some 4.2 million CCTV cameras and the government's privacy watchdog, Information Commissioner Richard Thomas, warned last year that the nation risks "sleep-walking into a surveillance society". Human rights group Privacy International says Britain is the worst country in the European Union at protecting individuals' privacy, citing "endemic surveillance". And a powerful group of lawmakers -- the House of Commons home affairs select committee -- is to hold an inquiry into the extent of surveillance in Britain this year. The "talking CCTV" move comes as Prime Minister Tony Blair's administration attempts to impose a "respect agenda" by cracking down on petty anti-social behaviour. Home Secretary John Reid defended the scheme, saying it was aimed at "the small minority who think it is acceptable to litter our streets, vandalise our communities and damage our properties." Reid added that schools in many areas were holding competitions for children to become the "voice" of CCTV cameras. The scheme is likely to cost around 500,000 pounds (740,000 euros, 988,000 dollars). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigermike 3,036 Posted April 4, 2007 Share Posted April 4, 2007 England is much further along the downward slide than I had thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Liger 0 Posted April 4, 2007 Share Posted April 4, 2007 We'll be there soon enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DKW 86 7,426 Posted April 4, 2007 Share Posted April 4, 2007 Amazing, you guys remember where you were when Big Brother arrived? You were logged onto AUN at your pc terminal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quietfan 233 Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 Big Brother is right! What in the world are the authorities in Britain thinking? ...Next thing you know, they'll be eavesdropping on overseas phone calls without a warrant, compiling secret government data bases of individuals' calling circles, or hauling people off to secret prisons without benefit of habeas corpus! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DKW 86 7,426 Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 I know, next they can get the White House security staff to rummage through 100s of FBI Files and scrounge up any dirt they can find on all their political opponents and pretty much disgard the entire Constitution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
otterinbham 0 Posted April 5, 2007 Author Share Posted April 5, 2007 ...Or invade a foreign country without a formal declaration of war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigermike 3,036 Posted April 6, 2007 Share Posted April 6, 2007 If they had those CCTV cameras in DC, they might have gotten pictures of Sandy Berger stuffing documents down his pants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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