CCTV...the horror!

[Gary88]

i've noticed in my time here at TWC that alot of Americans are horrified by the number of CCTV cameras in the UK, citing statistics like "the average Briton is caught on CCTV 300 times a day". many people have commented that we in Britain are "being oppressed" or similar views. living here myself...i couldn't care less.
it seems that many americans have the false impression that we are filmed 24 hours a day by several government controlled cameras being watched by Gordon Brown as he furiously masterbates in his Downing Street control room ordering the Storm Troopers (police) to arrest us for thought crimes against the emperor. many feel that we dont have any privacy in the UK.
the truth is all of this is nonsense, the majority of CCTV cameras are privately owned and placed around businesses, like in shop doorways or back entrances. for the most part these films are never watched unless a crime is commited some business owners dont even record the footage but simply link them up to a tv so the can watch incase kids are stealing sweets in the far aisle. there have been and still are numerous cases of CCTV cameras which are not turned on or that never worked at all, simply in place as a deterent.
the other misleading idea about being 'caught 300 times a day' is that there is any continuity in this image, that we are being watched as we go about our daily lives unable to scratch our arse without it being seen. mostly when caught on CCTV it is a brief second as i pass by a shop door, a non event even for someone avidly watching the moniter. as for being seen scratching my arse, if i want to do that when walking through a busy pedsestrian shopping area i would be more concerned by the hundreds of other people than the one guy in a security room somewhere probably busy watching some chavs in Vigin Megastores.[/rant]


(this isnt anti american its just been americans who have taken issue with it before i realise many americans dont think this way)

[shadepanther]

Well alot of Americans were scared because of how well they are documented in the Underground.

The Underground is huge with loads of corners and corridors and such so cctv is needed to watch the platforms and ticket barriers to give the people looking after the place an idea of whats going on.

[TWoxy]

As along as it stops some chav from smashing up someone's car (or if he does, and and is caught and beaten by the owner; all on camera for our pleasure), I don't mind it.

[Serious Spamurai]

It's also fun to try and avoid getting seen by cameras without looking suspicious in the process .
++Edit++ Argh! Public poll! Thou hast fooled me with your trickery, saracen, into divulging information best kept secret! For this you must die!

[Poisoner]

Gary, us Americans are not paranoid. Maybe if you weren't so apathetic you would realize it.

[Gary88]

now see, an ad hominem doesnt really make your case

[Poisoner]

Give me one good reason why we should have CCTV on the street corners that doesn't include any what ifs or maybes.

[Gary88]

its not on street corners unless the corner happens to be a shop or part of a shopping complex and thus guarding privately owned property, often where there are valuable items which might be a target for theft (obviously a shop can potentially hold millions of pounds of stock)

i guess we could do the more sensible thing and have guns so we could blow away anyone who breaks in but then us crazy brits we decided a better way would be to simply film them doing so and prosecute them

[Poisoner]

i guess we could do the more sensible thing and have guns so we could blow away anyone who breaks in but then us crazy brits we decided a better way would be to simply film them doing so and prosecute them

Yes, because every robbery in America ends in a gun fight of good vs. evil.

[Gary88]

i'm still yet to hear how cctv is opressive

[Poisoner]

I've still yet to hear an explanation without any what ifs, maybes, or your usual dramatic out of proportion style posting.

[Gary88]

so to prevent crime and prosecute offenders didnt come across...

[Poisoner]

so to prevent crime and prosecute offenders didnt come across...

Crime is a what if/maybe situation, a variable. Variables alone don't buy my vote.

But don't change the subject, you are spinning this way out of perspective.

[Gary88]

spinning it out of perspective??!?
cctv cameras are designed to prevent crime and help prosecute/catch criminals. of course crime is a what if but on that logic maybe i shouldnt lock my door at night

[Poisoner]

See you keep doing it.

Look, quit being a drama queen. But I don't think you will stop anytime soon, so heres your answer.
Here in America we have CCTV that does the samething your CCTV does, it protects property. In fact, I can't think of many stores that don't have some kind of camera. We just don't have cameras to the extent as your country.

However, when we start putting up cameras to catch people missing a red light or to make sure no one spits their out of flavor bubble gum on the side walk, then cameras have gone too far. As I said in another thread, the Texas Legislature banned the placement of future red light style cameras because their was no evidence that they lessed the rate of traffic violations or any crime for that matter.

A person who cannot commit a crime because of a camera will lurk until he can.




This is the difference between oppressive and security. I know where I draw the line, where do you?

[Gary88]

well you draw the line at cameras catching people going through red lights, a potentially lethal crime. we dont have those in the UK, to be honest i wouldnt find that opressive in the slightest if we did have it. as for us having more cameras so what? so being seen walking past a shop window isnt opressive but 5 people seeing me walk past 5 different shop windows (none of the 5 can see the 4 other clips) is?

[Poisoner]

I never said it was. Quote were I said privately owned CCTV was oppressive.

[Gary88]

quite frankly what are you saying...

[LSJ]

... I've yet to see how the CCTV is oppressive.

And they don't use CCTV to prosecute people for bubblegum spitting.

Look, quit being a drama queen.

I do believe it is you who is the drama queen now.

If you run a red light you could potentially, and easily, cause a collision resulting in someone's injury or death. People who do that should be prosecuted. If they're caught on camera, then its just easier to prosecute them.

[Poisoner]

I'm saying it can and will be oppressive if we don't draw a line in the sand to tell whats okay and what is not. Is it that hard?