Big Brother in my town

Former Member

I was reading my local newspaper today and found an article about a recent addition to our town, a webcam. It is located on a residental road just outside the town centre and basically anyone in the world can now go onto the internet and watch our towns residents go about there lives.
It also stated that their are plans to add more cameras, especially in the town centre.
The article was 100% positive about these webcams, but too me it doesn't seem right. Am i overreacting? It does say that the camera is positioned away from the houses so burglars can't watch people coming and going, but i know if one was put up outside my house i'd be fuming! I don't want to be broadcast on the internet every time i leave my house or come back.

Opinions?

Former Member

Knock it down then. Who's put these things up?

Do you have the link?

Former Member

princessamy wrote:

I was reading my local newspaper today and found an article about a recent addition to our town, a webcam. It is located on a residental road just outside the town centre and basically anyone in the world can now go onto the internet and watch our towns residents go about there lives.
It also stated that their are plans to add more cameras, especially in the town centre.
The article was 100% positive about these webcams, but too me it doesn't seem right. Am i overreacting? It does say that the camera is positioned away from the houses so burglars can't watch people coming and going, but i know if one was put up outside my house i'd be fuming! I don't want to be broadcast on the internet every time i leave my house or come back.

Opinions?

Ok... Do you mean webcams are going to be put all over your town? Or CCTV?

There's a webcam in Wrexham that watches Queens square and I don't have issues with it; it's not as if people are watching me take a shit. I can see where you're coming from though. Where do these people stop?

Former Member

-[MoonRat]- wrote:

Ok... Do you mean webcams are going to be put all over your town? Or CCTV?

They're webcams, not cctv. And they didn't say that they would be putting them all over the town, but it sounded like that's how it might go. There are plans to put some in the town centre, and who knows where it will end up. Stalkers won't even need to leave their homes to watch you. Or maybe that's pushing it a bit?

I'm really not sure what to think of this, but my instincts say it's wrong.

Former Member

Kentish wrote:

Knock it down then. Who's put these things up?

Do you have the link?

I don't know who's responsible for putting it up, the article didn't say. I'd like to knock it down but that's really not something i'd do. Besides, i'd at least get a fine and i'm way too poor to be doing that.

Here's a link to the article, http://www.suttonobserver.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=185916&command=displayContent&sourceNode=186442&contentPK=13156883

Former Member

i guess it depends where it's located. There are quite a few in Manchetser but they are very high up so you can't really make people out that well. Also it's refreshed every 5 minutes so it would be difficult to stalk someone.

Former Member

I wonder if they need planning permission for that. It seems to invade the privacy of the residents. Write to your local councillor about it.

Former Member

Hmmm. Was all prepared to say that you had nothing to worry about. And then I looked at the actual webcam page. It is very detailed, isn't it! Most I've seen are nothing like that and so do not present a privacy issue. Seems a bit of an odd view to have from a webcam.. a bit boring tbh!

Former Member

i've just had a look at the webcam too and i find it a bit bizarre.
perhaps you can petition against it or write to the council.

Former Member

It is rather odd that they put it on a residential road. Placing it in a more populated area makes more sense. I don't see any problem with this camera because there's only one of them and it is filming people in a public place. But if it becomes a trend, that would be something to worry about.

Former Member

Well like i've said they are planning to put more up so it is a bit worrying.
I'm sure the person whose fence it is connected too gave permission, but I don't know how many other people would've been asked.
And like kate1 said, it's an odd place to put it. I don't know why anyone would want to watch that for enjoyment, because it's not interesting. I can only think someone would use it for alterior, or simply weird, motives. A camera like that in say, times square i could understand because that might be interesting, but that image is just boring.

Former Member

AllAmericanRageJunky wrote:

It is rather odd that they put it on a residential road. Placing it in a more populated area makes more sense. I don't see any problem with this camera because there's only one of them and it is filming people in a public place. But if it becomes a trend, that would be something to worry about.

Then again, how would you feel if it was your house opposite the camera? :chin:

Former Member

I think there's a difference with having a camera filming the town square and a camera following you in to your house. Normally I'm against the idea of being monitered or watched, but in this case it doesn't sound too bad.

Your location is Birmingham? I can't honestly see anybody being easy to locate by stalkers on a webcam in a city or busy town. It's simply for the viewing pleasure of potential tourists, I mean if you do anything in the town anyway you'll be seen by other people on the street.

Former Member

TheShyBoyInTheCorner wrote:

Then again, how would you feel if it was your house opposite the camera? :chin:

true, if I were in that house I would probably get out a can of spraypaint.

Former Member

-[MoonRat]- wrote:

I think there's a difference with having a camera filming the town square and a camera following you in to your house. Normally I'm against the idea of being monitered or watched, but in this case it doesn't sound too bad.

Your location is Birmingham? I can't honestly see anybody being easy to locate by stalkers on a webcam in a city or busy town. It's simply for the viewing pleasure of potential tourists, I mean if you do anything in the town anyway you'll be seen by other people on the street.

It's actually on a quiet residential road, so I think that's why there's an issue. See below:



Click on the picture for an updated view.

Former Member

im sure if various crimes that would make your town look bad were done infront of theese cameras they would be taken down.

Former Member

air rifles spring to mind.

heard on the radio recently that the uk has more surveilance cameras than the rest of the planet put together!

thats scary.