The Image Too Far
We were furious when we wrote about a CCTV camera that was pointing into somebody’s home. It seemed an appalling invasion of privacy but, while we felt sympathy for whoever lived behind the net curtains, at least we had no idea who lived there or what the CCTV operator actually saw.
And then somebody sent us this, a grab of a live feed from Transport For London’s network of 1,500 CCTV cameras that “monitor and manage incidents and events 24-hours a day on London’s busy roads.” (Click to view it in more detail)
In what way does staring at this couple in bed qualify as monitoring London’s roads? Why the hell is the camera pointing into the bedroom and not at the road outside?
It would be bad enough if this was simply the view seen by some pathetic, voyeuristic CCTV operator who couldn’t wait to get home to study their collection of magazines. But it was not.
He – or possibly she – pointed a live traffic cam into a couple’s bedroom and, as a result, this view could be seen by anybody on Planet Earth who clicked on the feed from that particular camera at 10.21 on 18th December, 2009. The Tfl website identifies where the house is. One can only hope that, as it will be easy to work out which house this is, the couple are supposed to be in each other’s arms.
Steam is now coming out of my ears. How much more appallingly, disgracefully, disgustingly intrusive do these infernal devices have to be before we stand up and yell: “ENOUGH!” Surely this is the point at which we draw a line in the sand, find the collective backbone we have mislaid for the past decade, and begin the fight back.
Tfl is the responsibility of Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London. When running for Mayor, he said:
“I’m a libertarian. I think people should get on and run their lives as far as possible independently of bossiness and intrusion of all kinds.”
How much more intrusive could this be? Now is the time for see if he is a man of his word. We must spread news of “The Image Too Far” as far and wide as possible so that Johnson is inundated with protests. He must be forced to act, to ensure not only that whoever is responsible for this outrage is disciplined, but that such an outrage can never happen again.
Peter Finch’s character in Network, Howard Beale, famously says: “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take this any more.” After seeing this, we should all be mad as hell as such an outrageous invasion of privacy.
Related posts:
Council CCTV camera tries to see what’s behind the net curtains
Do news outfits check stories before running them? They do not
How many CCTV cameras in Britain? They have no bloody clue
For Brits who need cheering up, Gordon Brown’s spoof Christmas charity appeal video
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10 Comments
Dec 19, 2009 7:07 am |
No offence, but if you’re so concerned about privacy, then why are you publishing the map and picture then? Even if it’s been published by others, isn’t doing the same only showing that you are just as guilty?
Dec 19, 2009 9:38 am |
I take your point, but people have complained for years that cctv cameras can be abused in this way and nobody does anything about it. By showing an example of such misuse, I hope that the reality will hit home. I agree that it would be better to blur the details on the map but I’m afraid I don’t have Photoshop, nor do I know how to use it. If somebody who can use it would care to do so, I’d be very happy to substitute that image instead.
Dec 19, 2009 10:05 am |
Many thanks to David for blurring the street names for me. I keep being told I should get Photoshop Elements but simply haven’t got round to it yet and, for reasons I don’t understand, photoshop.com wouldn’t let me sign up.
Dec 19, 2009 2:08 pm |
GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a powerful and free alternative to photoshop, check it out.
Dec 19, 2009 3:54 pm |
This Big Brother Bullshit has to stop. I think a little civil disobedience is in order.
Dec 19, 2009 11:14 pm |
No one ever gets this quote right. It’s “I’m AS mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!”
H.B.
Dec 20, 2009 9:23 pm |
You’re quite right, Howard. I should know better and it IS right in the book, I’m glad to say. Will try harder in future.
Dec 20, 2009 9:23 pm |
Is it a Mac program?
Dec 21, 2009 9:00 am |
Some hacker probably logged-in and changed the angle. It’s possible to do that on a lot of cameras.
Dec 21, 2009 3:01 pm |
It is? Blimey. That makes me still more nervous.
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