‘We Are Watching You’

Every time one of my family members or friends teases me about my libertarian proclivities, which is often, I think of the UK. In particular, I think of their CCTV system. As now the telescreens are only in public places, but the new ability of CCTV monitors (who work for the state) to shout at citizens on the street has a very, very high creep factor.

From the article:

Big Brother is not only watching you - now he’s barking orders too. Britain’s first ‘talking’ CCTV cameras have arrived, publicly berating bad behaviour and shaming offenders into acting more responsibly.

The system allows control room operators who spot any anti-social acts - from dropping litter to late-night brawls - to send out a verbal warning: ‘We are watching you’.

That the cameras are present is enough to give anyone pause, who wants to be observed by the state at all times when wandering around on the streets? However, that the cameras are now shouting orders at people is perhaps the most frightening thing short of equipping them with automated weapons of some kind. Actually, given that most of we libertarians “crazy” fears tend to come true in one fashion or another, I’m going to speculate that within my lifetime there will be cameras on the street that tazer people.

I’ve always thought that the kind of future described in Brave New World was much more plausible than that of 1984, but given this development I’m not so certain of that anymore. Especially given perceptions from the “law-abiding majority”:

Law-abiding shopper Karen Margery, 40, was shocked to hear the speakers spring into action as she walked past them.

Afterwards she said: ‘It’s quite scary to realise that your every move could be monitored - it really is like Big Brother.

‘But Middlesbrough does have a big problem with anti-social behaviour, so it is very reassuring.’

And this is the problem that civil libertarians face going forward: most people are more than willing to trade freedom and privacy for security or the perception of same. The CCTV cameras were supposed to curb anti-social behavior, and that didn’t work well enough so they decided to give them speakers, and when that doesn’t work they’ll try something else. This is the same problem that we Americans are having at airports.

There were holes in the old system, so the government took over and instituted a new system…which was equally full of holes. When one of those holes, a small one that was unlikely to work, was exposed they tried to close it up by banning beverages. But you can still bring on other liquids and gels. Actually, “personal lubricant” is on the list but toothpaste is banned, so if you’re going to join the Mile High Club, well, your breath might stink but at least you’ll be adequately lubricated. And yet my family tells me to “get used to it” and my girlfriend sometimes chuckles about how much these sorts of things upset me.

And that’s the problem we face: liberty dies in plain view of all.

It’s Come To This?

In the midst of a shooting war in two different countries, a looming budget deficit problem, and any number of issues of national import, what do our beloved tolerated Congresscritters have time for? Investigating the BCS. My alma mater may be out of BCS running due to the strange voodoo running the BCS, but is this really a matter for Congress? First steroids, then videogames, now this.

We really need to dock their pay. And can all of them.