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| What does the public think
of CCTV? |
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The picture is mixed. While proponents of CCTV are inclined to describe
opposition to the technology as marginal, the reality is much less
conclusive. In one survey commissioned by the UK Home Office a large
proportion of respondents expressed concern about several key aspects
of visual surveillance.
The extent of concern was highlighted by the outcome that more than
fifty per cent of people felt neither government nor private security
firms should be allowed to make decisions to allow the installation
of CCTV in public places. 72 per cent agreed "these cameras could
easily be abused and used by the wrong people". 39 per cent felt
that people who are in control of these systems cold not be "completely
trusted to use them only for the public good". 37 per cent felt
that "in the future, cameras will be used by the government to
control people". While this response could be interpreted a number
of ways, it goes to the heart of the privacy and civil rights dilemma.
More than one respondent in ten believed that CCTV cameras should
be banned.
Another interesting conclusion of the Home Office survey was that
36 per cent of respondents did not agree with the proposition "the
more of these cameras we have, the better". Contrast this with
the view of Leslie Sharp, chief constable for the Scotland's Strathclyde
Police Department. Referring to his forces mania for CCTV he told
ABC news' 20/20 program "We will gradually drive the criminal
further and further away, and eventually I hope to drive them into
the sea".
The most crucial element of the Home Office survey was the conclusion
that the public were less inclined to unconditionally support CCTV
once issues were raised and discussed within groups. |
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