Daily Mail article: Big Brother is shouting at you

domi

domi

The Living Force
FOTCM Member
http:(slashslash)www(dot)dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=405477&in_page_id=1770

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'.

Middlesbrough has fitted loudspeakers on seven of its 158 cameras in an experiment already being hailed as a success. Jack Bonner, who manages the system, said: 'It is one hell of a deterrent. It's one thing to know that there are CCTV cameras about, but it's quite another when they loudly point out what you have just done wrong.

'Most people are so ashamed and embarrassed at being caught they quickly slink off without further trouble.

'There was one incident when two men started fighting outside a nightclub. One of the control room operators warned them over the loudspeakers and they looked up, startled, stopped fighting and scarpered in opposite directions.

'This isn't about keeping tabs on people, it's about making the streets safer for the law-abiding majority and helping to change the attitudes of those who cause trouble. It challenges unacceptable behaviour and makes people think twice.'

The Mail on Sunday watched as a cyclist riding through a pedestrian area was ordered to stop.

'Would the young man on the bike please get off and walk as he is riding in a pedestrian area,' came the command.

The surprised youth stopped, and looked about. A look of horror spread across his face as he realised the voice was referring to him.

He dismounted and wheeled his bike through the crowded streets, as instructed.

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.'

The scheme has been introduced by Middlesbrough mayor Ray Mallon, a former police superintendent who was dubbed Robocop for pioneering the zero-tolerance approach to crime.

He believes the talking cameras will dramatically cut not just anti-social behaviour, but violent crime, too.

And if the city centre scheme proves a success, it will be extended into residential areas.

The control room operators have been given strict guidelines about what commands they can give. Yelling 'Oi you, stop that', is not permitted.

Instead, their instructions make the following suggestions: 'Warning - you are being monitored by CCTV - Warning - you are in an alcohol-free zone, please refrain from drinking'; and Warning - your behaviour is being monitored by CCTV. It is being recorded and the police are attending.'

Mr Bonner said: 'We always make the requests polite, and if the offender obeys, the operator adds 'thank you'. We think that's a nice finishing touch.

'It would appear that the offenders are the only ones who find the audio cameras intrusive. The vast majority of people welcome these cameras.

'Put it this way, we never have requests to remove them.'

But civil rights campaigners have argued that the talking cameras are no 'magic bullet', in the fight against crime.

Liberty spokesman Doug Jewell said: 'None of us likes litterbugs or yobs playing up on a Saturday night, but talking CCTV cameras are no substitute for police officers on the beat.'
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How long until we have monitors in our homes. It will of course be for our safety, such as a way to stop abuse in familys or so that we can sleep better at night knowing that someone is watchig over us.
Kat
 
Man, this is just to much. I can't believe even the brain washed and conditioned would stand for this.

It's gotta be something in the UK water; LOL.

I wish the PTB would just get on with it and have the whole of Western Civ. crash and burn so we could get on with
what is next. From my POV, societal 'wise', it's only going to get worse, but then I'm a realistic cynic.
 
I'm with you, lets get it over with. I just hope that I am ready to graduate to the 4th D.
I can never seem to get enough time to study. I print out articles and books and take them to work to read, yet the more that I learn the more that I realize that I have not even scratched the surface yet..
Kat
 
Britain seems to be leading the charge on these CCTV cameras. Has the in car tracking been introduced yet?

Unfortunately Australia isn't far behind. We in New South Wales had a UK police commisinoer for awhile, one of his "innovations" was the installation of a lot of CCTV cameras in Sydney city. I'm unsure how many cameras one passes from the trip to central station to Circular Quay.....but one's trip by foot would be pretty well recorded all the way I think!
 
Maybe one could copywrite ones image like movie stars and such do,and then sue the gits for possessing photographic images of oneself. :)
 
Meh, objecting would just make you a troublemaker or a boatrocker. (after all, 'the only people who object are the perpetrators'. . . which is of course, sticky logic, because it implies the 'if you don't have anything to hide, what are you complaining about' line that's so popular these days.) The only way you could get away with that is if you *were* a celebrity, and if you were, you probably wouldn't be on the CCTV cameras anyway, at least not to be shouted at. . . (because rich well-known people aren't the 'problem').

Funny, but American libertarians seem to think the US public wouldn't buy these cameras. . . I beg to differ. I think if you asked Americans in the tone that article uses if they'd like to see them, they'd say yes.
 
It's weird that we're in 2006 and we're closer to 1984 than ever.
Time loops exist !!

'This isn't about keeping tabs on people, it's about making the streets safer for the law-abiding majority and helping to change the attitudes of those who cause trouble. It challenges unacceptable behaviour and makes people think twice.'
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According to whom ?

Instead, their instructions make the following suggestions: 'Warning - you are being monitored by CCTV - Warning - you are in an alcohol-free zone, please refrain from drinking'; and Warning - your behaviour is being monitored by CCTV. It is being recorded and the police are attending.'
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Human police officers getting used to talk like robots, before the mandatory implanted thoughts device ?

Not exactly the same, but that reminds me of these huge megaphones in North Korea, spilling music and propaganda all day long.

I wonder if they plan other cities with talking CCTVs ?
 
It seems to me that the place the CCTV cameras need to be are in the white house and every other goverment office and that the people who need to be watching and monitering them are the American people. Maybe then people would start waking up to what is realy going on. Then again maybe not, they will only open thier eyes when and if they want to, even if it is in thier face, as it is now.
KAT
 
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