04/29/2004: 
Fraud & Conspiracy
Florida Town to Use Surveillance Cameras
At what Point does everyone go, "maybe those folks with the tinfoil hats were right?"
from The Associated Press
MANALAPAN, Fla. (AP) -- One of the nation's wealthiest towns will soon have cameras and computers running background checks on every car and driver that passes through.
Police Chief Clay Walker said cameras will take infrared photos recording a car's tag number, then software will automatically run the numbers through law enforcement databases. A 911 dispatcher is alerted if the car is stolen or is the subject of a "be on the lookout" warning.
Next to the tag number, police will have a picture of the driver, taken with another set of cameras - upgraded versions of the standard surveillance cameras already in place.
"Courts have ruled that in a public area, you have no expectation of privacy," said Walker, one of 11 sworn officers who protects Manalapan's 321 residents. Still, Walker says Manalapan's data will be destroyed every three months.
Yup.
2 Annotations Submitted
Thursday the 29th of April, Max Power noted:
1) ski masks
2) segway scooters
3) no email or phone; all correspondence via regular mail in code in sealed envelopes
4) Athenaeum distributed in newsletter form
5) face it, assembled private dissent is being banished to the stone age
Tuesday the 4th of May, Froman noted:
This is wild! Its hard to argue with the pros of such a program. Less stolen cars right? So why does this make me feel uneasy.
If you are walking down the street, does someone have a right to just take a picture of you? I guess they do. Hypothetically, they would have to gain permission to publish it.
So whats the difference between publishing and what police are doing with your picture? Are they not publicizing/distributing/disseminating it in some way. Whether it be through computer searches, exchanging with other agenecies or what have you.
I think the problem is not with the goal but in the strategy. Goal: Safer place. "Fine" Strategy: Fear and intimidation through big brother tactics. You are being watched so don't do anything wrong. "Not so good"
Classic case of the ends not justifying the means.
Until the rest of the world figures this out, I guess I'll just remember not to pick my nose in the car.
Hopefully they can jump ahead to brain scans so they can just nab anyone with an impure thought.
