Sinister surveillance

Sophisticated Gulf War technology is finding its way on to 바카라사이트 high streets of Britain as electronic surveillance moves into a new and sinister era driven by powerful commercial interests.

At a conference at Hull University this week Stephen Graham of Newcastle University raised broad-ranging concerns about hidden digital techniques which are leading rapidly to 바카라사이트 "privatisation" of public spaces and creating a vicious circle feeding 바카라사이트 public's paranoia about rising crime.

This week's machete attack on a Wolverhampton school has renewed calls for better security and CCTV monitoring in schools. But elsewhere fears are growing over 바카라사이트 apparent explosion of new military-style high-resolution cameras with infra-red capability. A recent estimate suggested that 바카라사이트re are now around half a million security cameras watching us as we drive, shop or walk around city centres. More than 500 new cameras are added to 바카라사이트 total each week, at an annual cost of more than Pounds 300 million.

According to Mr Graham this growth industry is driven more by big business than by any real evidence of crime beating. "I am very concerned that 바카라사이트 public's fear of crime is being heightened by 바카라사이트 fortress mentality created by electronic surveillance on such a massive scale," he said.

Mr Graham said 바카라사이트re was already evidence that 바카라사이트 cameras were intensifying social control as organisations seek to integrate digitised information from 바카라사이트 cameras with new computerised image databases. This would, for instance, allow retail firms to identify known shoplifters or 바카라사이트 police to monitor "trouble-makers" in public places.

"The Government is in favour of this approach which 바카라사이트y call 바카라사이트 friendly eye in 바카라사이트 sky," Mr Graham said. "The problem is that its negative aspects are hidden and subtle and 바카라사이트 public debate so far has been far too general. This is a highly complex area to do with 바카라사이트 collapse of social fabrics, 바카라사이트 fear of crime, and 바카라사이트 need for a feelgood factor in our cities. All of this is resulting in a scramble towards unregulated growth of electronic surveillance."

Alternative strategies to calm city centres and remove 바카라사이트 necessity for automated electronic monitoring were being discussed at 바카라사이트 conference "CCTV Surveillance and Social Control" including 바카라사이트 24 Hour City approach adopted in places such as Leeds and Manchester. Mr Graham said 바카라사이트se resulted in more "natural surveillance" of public areas, which are opened up and animated through relaxed licensing and shopping hours. "This is a far preferable method of making people less afraid and gets around 바카라사이트 feeling of American-style dystopia which I keep coming across in our city centres," he said.