timesonline.co.uk— POLICE and councils are considering monitoring conversations in the street using high-powered microphones attached to CCTV cameras, write Steven Swinford and Nicola Smith.
Nov 26, 2006View in Crawl 4
wow, this is pretty intense. I was also quite shocked to see that Holland already has 300 of these installed. I found it interesting that when I was in Europe, I was often asked how Americans felt about our erosion of privacy, but we do not have anywhere this level of monitoring. I guess this is seen more as an extension of the welfare state mentality and therefore acceptable. I have a hard time seeing something like this flying in the US.
I have dugg this because it is interesting, but the headline is inaccurate. As the first sentence of the story states:"POLICE and councils are considering monitoring conversations in the street using high-powered microphones attached to CCTV cameras."So they're considering it but it is not actually in place yet in the UK. And the police have reservations. Let's hope this intrusive measure doesn't get the go-ahead.
Closed AccountNov 26, 2006
V for Vendetta?I bet behind clothes door the government calls these people The Ears.
Closed AccountNov 26, 2006
That's the first thing that came to my mind too when I saw this.
countersoldatNov 26, 2006
wow, this is pretty intense. I was also quite shocked to see that Holland already has 300 of these installed. I found it interesting that when I was in Europe, I was often asked how Americans felt about our erosion of privacy, but we do not have anywhere this level of monitoring. I guess this is seen more as an extension of the welfare state mentality and therefore acceptable. I have a hard time seeing something like this flying in the US.
sdrawkcabNov 27, 2006
Go further back, '1984'.
amishrefugeeNov 27, 2006
i think the UK is trying to steal all of the orwelian glory from the US by trying to reach 1984 status first
rac1234Nov 27, 2006
I have dugg this because it is interesting, but the headline is inaccurate. As the first sentence of the story states:"POLICE and councils are considering monitoring conversations in the street using high-powered microphones attached to CCTV cameras."So they're considering it but it is not actually in place yet in the UK. And the police have reservations. Let's hope this intrusive measure doesn't get the go-ahead.
Closed AccountNov 27, 2006
Dugg - misleading title, but important subject matter. It wasn't long a go that cameras which can bark orders were introduced: <a class="user" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/tees/5353538.stm">http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/tees/5353538.stm</a>- now the possibility of these things, it really is another step in the wrong direction.