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Traffic Cameras Used for Pedestrian Monitoring

Posted by michael on from the slip-slip-slipping dept.

Quixote writes "A couple of days ago, there were news reports about a traffic camera near Univ. of Alabama being actually used to checkout passersby by someone at the state troopers' office. Today, there's a news report about 3 people being arrested for 'public misconduct' by the same camera (including one man for grabbing his crotch (don't ballplayers routinely do this? ;)). This story highlights an issue which most privacy advocates worry about: the extension of a surveillance technology to cover areas it was not intended to cover. This camera is a traffic camera: it was installed for monitoring the traffic conditions on the road. Now it is being used to monitor people (albeit the 'monitoring' was for some <ahem> other purposes in the beginning). I will submit that in a public place you have no right to privacy; but this yet another example of something to keep in mind when considering other 'privacy eroding' technologies."

6 of 50 comments (clear)

  1. Only the guilty have anything to fear by kinnell · · Score: 3, Funny

    At last, we can rid society of the terrible menace of public crotch grabbers.

    --
    If I seem short sighted, it is because I stand on the shoulders of midgets
  2. It is criminal to grab your crotch by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Don't grab your crotch.
    Grab someone elses.

  3. Time to fight back... by MarkusQ · · Score: 2, Funny

    Anyone near the camera should go there and do something unusual but not illegal. (Drink from an imaginary bottle; blow soap bubbles and then snap at them like a dog; pointedly hide your forehead; open an umbrella for no reason; etc., etc.)

    -- MarkusQ

    1. Re:Time to fight back... by gantzm · · Score: 2, Funny

      Take a video camera out and videotape the traffic camera. That will make them wonder what you're up to!

      --


      Excessive forking causes un-wanted children.
  4. before you get too upset by Hubert_Shrump · · Score: 2, Funny

    the article says the camera was broadcasting to the whole town -- so it's not like they were keeping it to themselves.

    --
    Keep your packets off my GNU/Girlfriend!
    1. Re:before you get too upset by clonebarkins · · Score: 2, Funny
      the article says the camera was broadcasting to the whole town -- so it's not like they were keeping it to themselves.

      This has to violate some kind of FCC rule!

      --

      "The evil of the world is made possible by nothing but the sanction you give it." -- Ayn Rand