When does increasing security start to decrease privacy? That is the questions addressed in this article from CampusSafetyMagazine.com.
Recently, there has been an uproar from the American Civil Liberties Union about Chicago’s plan to increase the quantity of video surveillance cameras utilized throughout the city. Currently, Chicago Police control 1,260 cameras, and also have access to more than 4,500 cameras in and around Chicago public schools, 1,800 on CTA buses and in train stations, and at least 1,000 at O’Hare Airport, as well as more cameras at McCormick Place, Navy Pier, and private video systems in the Willis Tower, and the John Hancock building. Yet, Chicago still plans to add more security cameras, much to the dismay of the ACLU.
In defense of the current system, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley was quoted as saying. “We’re not spying on anyone or identifying anyone, or racially profiling anyone. We’re not.”
Tthat is not enough for the ACLU, who believe that increased security goes hand in hand with decreased privacy. Campus Safety Magazine, meanwhile, argues that “we need to make sure that the push for privacy doesn’t go so far that it makes video technology unusable…”
The solution? Education.
The public needs to know how their privacy is being protected while surveillance is being increased. There are different technologies in place to increase the privacy of the general public. One of these technologies is window blackening, which obscures sections of the camera’s view.
The question is what other measures are being taken to protect privacy and are these enough?
For any questions on privacy concerns surrounding surveillance cameras, simply contact ARK Systems at 1-800-995-0189 or click here today.