Surveillance in the UK

December 20th, 2009

The one TV programme that I really hate is Big Brother.  It has been going on for far to long and the fools that go in there still expect it to be their big break only to find no one cares when they leave the house.  Well it looks like with the recession and unemployment at record high channel 4 decided we all needed a cheering up and announced big brother is ending next year *big cheer*.


I think Big Brothers days were numbered anyway, why do we want to see a load of people living under constant surveillance when that is what everyday life is anyway.  There are only 3000 CCTV cameras in Nottingham alone.


Every time I leave work I see CCTV camera watching for people using the bus lane but CCTV doesn’t particularly bother me but if you delve a little bit deeper into surveillance of society then it gets a little bit more intrusive.  X ray “naked” scanners have been introduced at Manchester airport that allows them to see under you clothes.  This is supposed to be instead of the old patting down they used to do to people and I can see the point.  I would rather go though that than have someone pat me down, but some people are outraged.


GPS tracking systems for vehicles have always tempted me but it always seems a bit strange that you are always being monitored.  It is good because it will let you know where you are and tell you where to go, but I always thought it could be used the other way around, to track you.  It is a good idea for commercial companies to monitor their fleet, but could it be used to track individuals to see if they are speeding?


Worst of all I think is RFID tracking something that is completely new to me.  It is a form of tracking that uses microchips to track packages.  Companies are now wanting to put them into products to allow them to see where they end up and who has brought them.  I think this is against common decency, I don’t not want a company to know if I have brought their produce.  All they will use it for is to bombard you with targeting junk mail.



No wonder (and thank God) Big Brother is ending, reading the news makes it feel like we are living in that house ourselves.

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One Response to “Surveillance in the UK”

  1. Daria Falks Says:
    January 6th, 2010 at 6:20 pm

    Somethimes I prefer simply to go my own way

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