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U.S.: a ‘surveillance society’?

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After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, local governments across the country set aside concerns over privacy and installed surveillance cameras in public streets and plazas.

Now — even after a damning report by the head of London’s extensive surveillance network and with little evidence that the systems work — police in many cities are trying to add thousands more cameras to their networks.

“‘Cameras Everywhere’ continues to be the best description of the trend in the video surveillance market,” security market analysts J.P. Freeman Co. said in a report in 2006 that estimated that a quarter of major U.S. cities were investing in the technology.

Two years later, the trend shows no sign of slowing. Officials in many cities are eager to take advantage of money from state and federal security agencies to install the cameras on street corners and intersections, and in cities that already have dozens of cameras, officials are seeking real-time access to thousands more in schools, transit facilities and private businesses:

End of Excerpt
Source: MSNBC
current89

33 responses // U.S.: a ‘surveillance society’?

  • I just saw this on MSNBC. Yes MSNBC. I couldn't believe the tone of the article considering it implies we are spending way too much money on big brother. These security companies are raking it in for sure all thanks to Homeland Security and 9/11.

    Odd that they have a video to the right showing a camera of a murder. I guess one could argue the camera wasn't necessary with all of the witnesses and the obvious connection of the criminal to the victim and apparent motive.
    YourMothersMilk
  • Talking about keeping your eyes on us.
    powerup
  • Sorry to say but we are the ones that should keep our eyes in the Government as the are now the biggest acoustic polluters in the Nation. The real fact different from people imagination is that we are surrounded by acoustic gangs that use noise in the City mainly to harass its inhabitants. These are the real terrorists you should be concerned about. The other thing advertised by the government is just a hype to steal money from tax payers. Wake up people!
    stopnoise
  • It's 1000 times worse when in places like london and paris. They have a 360 view of literally every postiiton in the city.
    clayjj05
  • Society is composed of Good and Bad people. If we had only Good people no one would need to use cameras to spy on anyone. Reality is just different from people's fantasies.
    stopnoise
  • Hit them with paintball guns, cover them with plastic grocery bags (recycling at it's finest).
    Dmitri_Molotov
  • Yeah, one of those crappy little intersection cameras was pointed right INTO MY OFFICE WINDOW!!! Swear to God. I called the city and they referred me to the traffic devision who told me "we don't point them into offices" and I told them to come take a look...

    About 10 minutes later, it slowly turned away. Pretty creepy.
    They can take my picture, if they pay me.
    Bastards.
    onechance
    2 responses to this
  • If this keeps up, one day we will all have one in our Colons with a direct feed to our doctors and insurance companies.

    Any proponent of these needs to turn themselves in to the nearest prison for quality supervision so we all don't have to be subjected to their madness.
    BretByron
  • The government's intent isn't to protect the public, in my opinion. It's more to put the public under surveillance.
    FallenMorgan
  • Who's watching those who are watching us?
    1percent
    2 responses to this
  • You're right FallenMorgan-

    Their intent is to watch us, and protect their greedy assed friends.
    onechance
  • 1percent: That's precisly the problem. NOBODY. They own the cameras AND the armies...
    onechance
    1 response to this
  • I'm not going to make a wide accusation saying this is part of some conspiracy, however i don't think it's necessary or legal(siting the right to privacy) to use cameras in this fashion.
    current89
  • It's not excessive to Big Brother. Remember, war is peace, freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength. We are at war with eastasia, we have always been at war with eastasia.
    FallenMorgan
  • Big brother.
    cerealforeal
  • I think you guys are going too far there! It is more like that British Comedy called "Little Britain" Character that says:

    "Maybe Yes, Maybe Not!"
    stopnoise
  • Home of the free?? Give me a break. have you ever heard of George Orwell's 1984? those who have read this book know what im talking about.
    baseballnomad
    1 response to this
  • How are they allowed to take away so much of peoples privacy, I agree that times are different and we do need security, but there are lines that the gov shouldnt be able to cross.
    Our rights are the key to world peace, so if we want to spread our great freedom to 3rd world countries what kinda example are we setting by spying on our own people.
    People in other countries wont welcome our democracy & now we have to make sure that these countries dont side with Russia.
    Most of them already reject our culture, if we loose our way of life, what else do we have to go by?
    Prijedor
  • Big problem for the graffiti scene...
    Kiri
  • LOL try to tag one of these things and get away with it
    clayjj05
  • I want less gov intervention when it comes to choices I make. However. The cameras in public spaces are not a threat to me. If I want privacy I will go where no one looks. And quite franklythat is when people get hurt. Lazy, Desperate, Stupid, people do illegal things in public. Things that spill onto others. If you want to smoke pot don't do it downtown. Find a private place. If you want to brawl go take a mixed martial arts class. But being an ass in public for irrational reasons deserves monitoring. All these knuckleheads flaunt disrespect of the law in the public eye and they get what they deserve. These cameras are for spotting idiots who will be reckless and foolish enough to randomly and impulsively harm others. People who bend the law for personal reasons and do so with conciousness are really not affectd by this. Attention comes to those who want it
    eggsdenison
  • Hey Eggs,

    As a kid, I grew up with movies like THX 1138 (George Lucas' First), Logan's Run (TV Series), and the novel 1984 by George Orwell..The theme that runs through all of these works is the setting of the stage for a dystopian future. Thirty years later such films, and works as these have come into ever increasing focus as being eerily accurate in defining our present day.

    "People willing to trade their freedom for temporary security deserve neither and will lose both." ~ Benjamin Franklin

    A bit overused by some at this point, but no less the truth. I simply can't believe this country has a strong grasp of their constitutional rights, otherwise they wouldn't, give them up for anything, not even terrorists.

    The present administration would celebrate the poster child who proclaims, "Cameras in public places do not pose a threat to me." The threat is not the camera, but rather the erosion of your privacy and constitutional rights. This is more than about a few cameras here and there. It's about your every movement, your finances, your work, etc. Hell, your very existence on the internet is a footprint to be profiled if need be. You are a virtual prisoner with your SS# as an identifying marker, and you may not even know it yet. I honestly believe even the greatest man of integrety would have a problem with assuming the position of commander-in-chief.

    The government, as a result of the Patriot Act, has complete access to "everything" you've done, will do, and might even think of doing. That's simply too much power for any one man, or organization, and people have been completely passive us to become a total surveillance society.
    Lerxst
  • Wanting less government intervention in your life while, at the same time, touting the advantages of surveillance cameras? Isn't that a bit of a contradiction Egg? Haven't you noticed that all of those so-called "private places" that you enjoy so much are becoming less and less private as the years go by? Sure, I'll grant you that the world is filled with dangerous, irresponsible people who are prone to unpredictable and often violent behavior. But I for one don't believe that placing everyone and their mother in front of a camera 24/7 and monitoring their every move is a viable solution to the problem. Indeed, if anything, it seems to promote a widespread sense of paranoia and distrust toward those doing the watching.

    And, besides, a little "flaunting disrespect of the law in public" can be a good thing....
    extblues
  • I love the part referring to the "lack of evidence it works". Isn't that just typical? We take pills with side effects worse than the original condition, why wouldn't we support a huge money drain on something that has no effect?
    egarlow
  • Why are we all not mad as hell? And are we going to take anymore?

    Keeping too much track of people really does sound like big brother. And in our modern society, we won't just have to beware of people mysteriously disappearing. The government can make people turn into non-persons by economic means.

    Will we notice if a few people just start having more difficulty in life? Like identity theft, or even more subtle: jacking around with your interest rates?

    That credit score you have is calculated by a secret formula: A great way to put subtle pressure on individuals as well as great masses of people in our society. Almost as good as putting them in jail, but totally legal and a lot easier to do in our economy.

    Does this make me paranoid? Probably, but what the hell... a little functional paranoia when it comes to big brother is a good idea.
    jahbini
  • I ask that question every day jahbini. Whenever i see one of those cameras I flip it the bird. That's what I think of the people manning the cameras.
    tatnik
  • As a kid, I grew up with movies like THX 1138 (George Lucas' First), Logan's Run (TV Series), and the novel 1984 by George Orwell..The theme that runs through all of these works is the setting of the stage for a dystopian future. Thirty years later such films, and works as these have come into ever increasing focus as being eerily accurate in defining our present day.


    I understand what you mean...Too much of that old sci-fi is becoming real..Scary,


    I now assume that I am being watched anywhere..wait until we become like the U.K............I spy w/ my little eye............
    inapickle

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