Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Little brother is watching you

John Reid's campaign to make Britain more like the Soviet Union he so admired in his youth is gathering pace with the introduction of talking CCTV cameras.

As the BBC says, the cameras are already in operation in Middlesbrough, and are to be installed in Southwark, Barking and Dagenham, in London, Reading, Harlow, Norwich, Ipswich, Plymouth, Gloucester, Derby, Northampton, Mansfield, Nottingham, Coventry, Sandwell, Wirral, Blackpool, Salford, South Tyneside and Darlington at the cost of half a million pounds.

Lib Dem bloggers have risen against the idea - Edis Bevan has the links - but it remains to be seen whether Lib Dem councils will have any scruples about operating them.

In true totalitarian style, the young are being recruited to harangue their elders. Competitions are to be held in local schools so that children cab become the voice of the cameras. The ARCH blog looks at some of the important questions that are being ignored in the process.

1 comment:

M said...

How long before John Reid sets up an Orwellian "Spies" group for kids to join, where they can report their parents for "thoughtcrime"?

But seriously, what evidence is there that this will deter real crime as opposed to litter dropping or drunks urinating in the middle of the night, unless Reid believes these are the new serious crimes? Maybe we should install these in Lord Levy’s office so that they issue a warning every time a prospective peer comes near?