Surveillance+Cameras

According to the Federal Privacy Commissioner of Canada ruling (2001), the use of street surveillance cameras in the city of Yellowknife was bin fact illegal. The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act states that it is prohibited to collect or disclose personal information without notifying the individual and receiving their consent. In this case the video footage was regarded as “personal information” and therefore a violation of the individual’s privacy. This case can be viewed at http://www.perkinscoie.com/casedigest/icd_results.cfm?search=canada

This case demonstrates that privacy issues are still an important aspect of an individual's human rights. With the growing move of surveillance and an invasion of privacy through outlets such as the internet and cameras, people’s personal information is becoming more and more impersonal, spreading it to the general public. Although in this case the courts found that the cameras were illegal and invaded people’s privacy one must also look at the other side. How about if the camera played a vital role in capturing images of a violent crime that happened on the street? How about if it captured the image of the perpetrators and later aided in his/her capture? If a society agreed that the cameras were a vital peace to ensuring the safety of its inhabitants than would it still be regarded as an invasion of privacy? There has been a recent debate on the surveillance cameras that are so prominent in many London communities. In an article by Jim Zarroli, “Debate Brews over London Surveillance Cameras” July 11, 2005,  the author states that the London police have said that the security cameras at street corners are invaluable in solving crimes. Many have complained that the cameras are infringing on civil liberties, Zarroli reports that in some instances footage can be used in totally inappropriate places and used in unmoral ways.

Surveillance cameras also serve the (debateably) important function of detterence. Even when the cameras or mock-ups, upon seing them a person may control more carefully his or her behaviour displaying self-censorship as discussed by Foucault in relation to the idea of Panopticism.



Surveillance Gated Community and Serveillance
 * Related links:**

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/1953770.stm http://www3.gov.ab.ca/foip/other_resources/publications_videos/surveillance_guide.cfm http://www.mediaeater.com/cameras/ http://www.spybase.com/ http://www.4hiddenspycameras.com/
 * Some interesting links:**