Let's NOT put security cameras everywhere
This is from a lengthy comment that I posted, in response to the hub, "Let's Put Security Cameras Everywhere". I soon realized it would be best as a new hub, detailing the other side of the argument...AGAINST security cameras. This is the comment, slightly edited for purposes of becoming a cohesive HUB vs. a comment.
The inalienable rights of man at stake?
I am appalled that anyone would support, let alone LIKE the idea of placing security cameras up and down the streets of the world.The thing that people have got to understand is that corruption always prevails. Look at how history repeats itself, I mean..tyranny always surfaces where there is a power structure, and freedoms slip and slip until we complacently bow our heads and keep letting freedoms be stripped away! That is the whole basis behind democracy-to place power in the hands of the people,to keep the government in check and our liberties sacred- is it not? Allow me to quote the great Benjamin Franklin here: "Those who Sacrifice Liberty For Security Deserve Neither."
The good, the bad, the ugly
There are so many DISADVANTAGES to having security cameras peppering our streets, (in addition to the obvious total violation of privacy), that far outweigh any so-called advantages or useful purposes that such horrific objects may serve.
- The whole operation just cries
corruption, and invites malicious foes and creepers right on over to the
party. If everyone had access to what everyone was doing at all times,
what a cat and mouse game this would be! And who would divide the line
between what "right" anyone had to access your whereabouts, or
information, etc.? This would COMPLETELY defeat the purpose of
restraining orders, and better equip stalkers and criminals in perverse
acts. Who has the right to this information, and why?
- In some cases, our very dignity is on the line here.
- Oh,and...the "advantages" don't
seem too hot anyway, considering that this would only inevitably result in a
disastrous domino effect of everyone watching everyone...mass paranoia
and, quite frankly, a waste of time and money!
- So maybe
Grandma would find out who stole her purse that night at bingo, and Fido
could be found wandering in a nearby neighborhood and be returned much
faster...but to what extent is this even advantageous? Fido could have
gotten ran over, did the kids really need to see that? And without a
camera, cops may actually be motivated to uphold the law and protect
citizens to the best of their abilities, instead of standing idly by and
depending on cameras to do all of the work for them while major
surveillance corporations raked in on the cash and your tax dollars.
- In addition to these so-called "helpful" advantages, we end up in a reverse-Utopian society that hands over the role of the omniscient God figure to big corporations and government (Can someone say George Orwell, 1984? Thank you). In this bleak future world, society as a whole becomes slowly yet surely degraded, unable to think or act for themselves, certain that the cameras hold all the answers. All hail the almighty camera gods! (And I say this with the fiercest of sarcasm).
Frightening motives?
Let's now ask the question of, WHY would anyone want to watch others? Okay, so you say...for our safety? For the law to prevail, stop crime, stop traffic violations? Pshh. I highly doubt that. Here's a better answer...how about...to further aid corruption within an already corrupt police state?
Some real world examples
Do you even realize, that the safety speed cameras that are in place in U.S. cities are being sold to the consolidated city governments by a private company out of Australia, called REDFLEX? And let's also take into account that by installing these cameras, this only served to pass on the duties of law enforcement officers to regulate streets and uphold the law to safety cameras? Ah, so...Redflex and city government unite, and together create a brilliant means of making major/easy money, while evading their duties to physically protect our streets, as job entitlement would require of them. But hey...what a cash cow. (And I would love to know where that money is going.) Now that's just for traffic cameras, but think about it...all camera usage is ripe for corruption and laziness within government and big corporations.
You give an inch, they take a mile... the next big thing is RFID(Radio Frequency Identification) chips embedded in products in the grocery store, for marketing purposes...which activate once picked up off of the shelf, then track your whereabouts, up to your front doorstep. How do ya like THEM apples? Corporations tracking your moves, studying you, to push their own agendas... this is already hitting stores.
It raises some relevant questions
Does this human monitoring spell "safety" to you? Where do we cross the line? And do you not see how gov/corporate entities could employ surveillance cameras for purposes similar to the RFID chips? I'd like to get some opinions.