Thread: Big Brother barks? Govt unveils shouting CCTV cameras

Big Brother barks? Govt unveils shouting CCTV cameras

Apr 4 04:30 AM US/Eastern





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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).


http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id ... _article=1

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

jp- This is just too funny to be true! Are you sure it isn't an 'old april fools prank'?
If it isn't, then I'd be really po'd.

No Alex Jones reported this news months ago. IT is making its way around the UK. I don’t find it funny at all. Odd thing is, I know someone from the UK and they think its fine so long as it keeps the terrorists away. Oh well some people are very naive.

Originally Posted by jp_48504

No Alex Jones reported this news months ago. IT is making its way around the UK. I don’t find it funny at all. Odd thing is, I know someone from the UK and they think its fine so long as it keeps the terrorists away. Oh well some people are very naive.

That's not funny. I guess it won't be long before we have them set up on every street corner in America.

Originally Posted by firecracker

Originally Posted by jp_48504

No Alex Jones reported this news months ago. IT is making its way around the UK. I don’t find it funny at all. Odd thing is, I know someone from the UK and they think its fine so long as it keeps the terrorists away. Oh well some people are very naive.

That's not funny. I guess it won't be long before we have them set up on every street corner in America.

Oh they're here. They fitted rooftops with cameras here in loserville.

Most every large retailer has cameras that cover their parking lots, and most shopping malls have them mounted in the ceilings under those smoked-glass domes.

Las Vegas has them EVERYWHERE and the facial recognition software they use can identify you in a matter of minutes, if not seconds.

Just wait until we get our new, RFID-equipped ID's.

They had this story on Good Morning America and they were laughing about this technology.. They actully laughed. They are laughing at our future.