NationStates Jolt Archive

I read in the newspaper that LAPD was trying to get surveillance cameras installed in "bad areas" of Los Angeles. Can you say 1984?

I can't believe what this world is coming to.

I think you may be slightly overreacting.

Do you have any source for this?

I read it in the Monday July19th issue of Los Angeles Daily News

I dont see it as a big deal. Either theres a cop out on the street or there a camera there and someone viewing it on a monitor. As long as it's in a public place where someone could see you anyway I dont see an issue.

In what ways does this curtail rights?

I can see it as having benefits. Harassment by cops might be caught on tape. Crimes might be caught on tape and therefore innocent people cant be tried for it.

What else?

Give me some examples of how it could be good or bad.

It's just another way of Big Brother tracking us down. It's not that bad now, but it can lead to much worse things.

If I'm not mistaken, surveillance cams have been in use in London for years, as well as in other parts of the US. I don't like it myself, but it's been part of the inevitable reduction of privacy in public places. My personal line is when the government decides it's time to monitor us in our homes.

Meh!

Public areas is hardly Orwell. However, it does open the door for it....

Singapore has cameras everywhere. Placed well because I only noticed a few.
You could also walk around it in the wee hours without having to look over your back.

Do I want to live there? Nahhh.

And yes LA already had some cameras going. Don't you watch any of those police shows? ;)

I can see that it could lead to being a bad thing but at this point I see only positives.

Of course monitoring us in our homes would suck big time. I don't see that happening until 2006 if Bush gets reelected though.

Yeah, my whole point is that cameras monitoring us outside is just the beginning. Yes, right now, maybe it is safer for innocent civilians, but as black forest said, it opens the door for it.

They don't monitor us in our own homes...yet, but they do in buildings. Maybe its not the government, but the government could take over indoor surveillance if they wanted to.

All in due time...

I read in the newspaper that LAPD was trying to get surveillance cameras installed in "bad areas" of Los Angeles. Can you say 1984?

I can't believe what this world is coming to.
this is the kind of police state america is turning into

This makes me distinctly uncomfortable. I can understand the use of surveillance cameras in a business...say a store, or at an automatic teller machine. Those are private property, and an individual has a choice whether or not to use those businesses.

However, having cameras out in public areas recording the actions of everyone who passes is damn creepy. I can hear the response already, "Well, if you're doing nothing wrong, why should you care if you're being recorded?" Well, simply put, I believe my image belongs to me, my business is my business, and that privacy and dignity are important.


(On a silly side note, when I first read the title of this topic, I thought it said "LARP Surveillance Cameras." I imagined covert video being taken of angsty types with glued-on fangs. Teehee.)

This makes me distinctly uncomfortable. I can understand the use of surveillance cameras in a business...say a store, or at an automatic teller machine. Those are private property, and an individual has a choice whether or not to use those businesses.

However, having cameras out in public areas recording the actions of everyone who passes is damn creepy. I can hear the response already, "Well, if you're doing nothing wrong, why should you care if you're being recorded?" Well, simply put, I believe my image belongs to me, my business is my business, and that privacy and dignity are important.


(On a silly side note, when I first read the title of this topic, I thought it said "LARP Surveillance Cameras." I imagined covert video being taken of angsty types with glued-on fangs. Teehee.)I think people should put on shows for the suvelliance cameras-even strip shows