Diligence & Patience

The never ending all seeing eye...

According to this article there are 5.9 million CCTV* cameras in this country (UK). That's 1 camera for every 11 people...

Obviously, these cameras are concentrated in urban areas - conservatively, based on my extrapolation of 2011 numbers about a tenth of the above figure is in London alone. (600,000 - give or take 20,000)** 

These aren't things that you can "opt out of"  - although, fortunately, owing to the sheer volume of data that they create, you're unlikely to remain in the system too long - the cost of storing your likeness is too high, so unless it's flagged for retention early enough it will, like the fleeting moment it should be, disappear into the ether as it is overwritten by the present ...

You could spend an eternity debating if this is good or evil - but like so many things - it is but a tool. It is the motivation & intention of the people using the system that determine the ethical outcome. 

Conversely, we should be aware, that in becoming numb to the reality of constant surveillance, we open ourselves far more to systematic abuse. 

Question early, question often and we might still yet manage to avoid "Big Brother" and 1984.


*actually, they probably _aren't_ "Closed Circuit" anymore - they're more likely connected to the internet is someway and thus should more accurately be referred to as "Surveillance Cameras" as the "circuit" isn't "closed" ...

** which also means that out here in deepest darkest Oxfordshire, we're a bit short ... not something that I mind ...