In England, is it true....?

Question

that there are cameras everywhere (even in the streets) watching everything you do?
Did someone read George Orwell's 1984 and think it was a good idea to watch its citizens?
What do you think about all the cameras in England, if true?

Yes, I realize the U.S. has cameras, mainly in stores, malls, some businesses and airports, but not in the streets. I was asking about England, not the U.S.

Answer 1

good way to control riots and disturbance.. safer streets =)

Answer 2

yes, it's the most cctv-watched country in Europe, there's literally cameras everywhere. We're just used to it, theres some people that believe its become a bit of a civil liberties issue, but these are just mild grumblings, mostly it's accepted just because people are used to it.

the main streets in almost every town and certainly every city centre are watched by cameras that are ran by the local government, and in London and the largest cities you can be fairly sure there are cameras watching you for some way beyond the central areas, it's just the way it is.

I dont personally think it's much of a problem, its just that our government favours surveillance over things such as aggressive policing - I mean the majority of our police officers do not even routinely carry guns, so its not as if the UK is some kind of authoritarian state, in many ways its actually more liberal and advanced in terms of civil liberties and freedom than most of the rest of Europe - its just that we have relatively high level of surveillance instead - what you loose on the swings, you gain on the roundabouts.

Answer 3

Yes many british businesses have CCTV cameras outside their doors. Some town centres also have cameras in trouble hot-spots to watch out for violence and theft. The cameras are purely there to monitor and keep the public safe rather than in '1984' where people were controlled.

The cameras are a good thing, if you were mugged or attacked than they can help catch the criminal.

Answer 4

Um, honey, there's cameras everywhere. Even in your 'sweet' little country. The United States was actually the first country to put cameras down streets, in buildings, public bathrooms, ect. However, they are the only country that does not use their camera surveillance to catch people doing wrong things.

Answer 5

Yes it's true. We are caught on camera loads of times each and don't even realise it.

Answer 6

If they have that much surveillance then they must be a violent society! The crime rate must be astronomical otherwise why would people accept the constant surveillance?