February 26, 2007
UK Cameras Talk Back
Municipal security cameras are everywhere in the UK; CCTV cameras have been used for years to protect streets, sidewalks, and bus and subway stations from crimes like theft, vandalism and violence. Now, officials in Plymouth have announced that surveillance cameras will have an unusual new feature - they'll talk back.
Cameras in Plymouth's city center, which are monitored 24 hours a day by operators in a monitoring center, will now feature speakers that will echo orders given by operators. Examples of orders may order cyclists to cease riding in pedestrian areas, or to inform injured or fallen people that help is on the way.
Camera tests have been successful in other areas of England, and cameras in Plymouth will be activated by the end of March. This type of installation is a dramatic shift from other types of CCTV and surveillance systems common in the UK, which usually consist of analog cameras monitored for crimes or traffic violations. What kind of reception will these cameras receive? Will citizens respond well to an anonymous voice barking orders from a camera? Comparisons have already been made to "Big Brother," the omnipresent monitor in George Orwell's 1984. Is this kind of surveillance more effective in preventing crime?
Posted by Jennifer on February 26, 2007 4:14 PM | Comments (0)
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