Wilkes-Barre's high tech survailance system.

[Huskyz]

Originally Posted by Magritte25

That's good that you don't have cameras on rural roads though.

Yet

Just look at what is done with drive by and fly over cameras and devices.

• I can spot the big tree in my yard (in the woods) in public satellite pics on the web.
• Realtors routinely post web pics showing overhead shots of properties in detail.
• Google did drive bys of a lot of the US and not only captured pics for Google Maps but 'accidentally' gathered personal WiFi info(?).
• Police and other vehicles routinely record video as they drive. If they aren't transmitting this stuff real time to central locations, they probably will be soon.
• Millions of people routinely shoot hand held videos (and stills) of 'things' ranging from disasters to riots (e.g. Egypt...) to bombings to house fires to ___fill in the blank ____
• etc....

Just think what the feds can do that we don't see, and also what they will soon be able to do.

Just sayin...again to the OP...cameras on public squares are the tip of the iceburg. Much of (and more daily) the world is permamently different forever.

[fisheye]

The one point that nobody has mentioned is the quality of these new pictures. While there are still some “old’ style cameras out there; there are many new style. How many people have watched one of these new style dome cameras operate? The domes are dark; so that you don’t know which direction they are looking. They can rotate 360% and move up or down. They also have color. They can zoom in and see in very poor light. The one I saw could read license plates at maybe a few hundred yards?

The reason that this concerns me is that sometimes we do not have control over the people taking all this information. With government’s financial problems; it is easier and cheaper to outsource. Even if they start off with trained specialist; that can change. Not only can that change; it will change as government gets hungrier and searches for new funds. That is what happens with the stoplight cameras - they reduce the length of the yellow lights to catch more motorist.

Our kids use all this new technology to make fools of themselves publicly. I have to wonder how many will be haunted as they grow up and seek public office or security clearance jobs? We, as a people, get wrapped up with these new tools and seem oblivious to the long term repercussions.

[coalboy]

whew, scary Fisheye, Heyna or no?

[Magritte25]

Originally Posted by Huskyz

Yet

Just look at what is done with drive by and fly over cameras and devices.

• I can spot the big tree in my yard (in the woods) in public satellite pics on the web.
• Realtors routinely post web pics showing overhead shots of properties in detail.
• Google did drive bys of a lot of the US and not only captured pics for Google Maps but 'accidentally' gathered personal WiFi info(?).
• Police and other vehicles routinely record video as they drive. If they aren't transmitting this stuff real time to central locations, they probably will be soon.
• Millions of people routinely shoot hand held videos (and stills) of 'things' ranging from disasters to riots (e.g. Egypt...) to bombings to house fires to ___fill in the blank ____
• etc....

Just think what the feds can do that we don't see, and also what they will soon be able to do.

Just sayin...again to the OP...cameras on public squares are the tip of the iceburg. Much of (and more daily) the world is permamently different forever.

Yep...

Look at what the newer super high mega-pixel cameras can do:

How I Made a 1,474-Megapixel Photo During President Obama’s Inaugural Address | New York Action Photographer and Video Producer David Bergman | Sports and Music Photography (you have to hover the mouse over the photograph and use your scroll button to see how much detail you can get...try to find the guy texting in the audience during the inaugural address)

How about this one:

Find the man praying at Machu Pichu

Mega Machu Picchu - 1.5 GigaPixel

[varmintblaster]

Originally Posted by fisheye

Our kids use all this new technology to make fools of themselves publicly. I have to wonder how many will be haunted as they grow up and seek public office or security clearance jobs? We, as a people, get wrapped up with these new tools and seem oblivious to the long term repercussions.

I am constantly amazed how people post up personal information on the internet. Kids are one thing, but Grown Adults that should know better are nothing more than fools..

Slap a smartphone in the palm of their hand andthey become a drooling idiot.

The High-Tech Dumbing Down of America.

[bloominscranton]

I do not want cameras clicking away in public places, it adds at least 10 pounds! No, seriously put officers on the streets and stop collecting information in the name of "public safety'! I do not want to be European, I want to be American. While I loved my time in Europe, I loved coming home!

[MatildaLoo]

Originally Posted by loveinbloom

I do not want cameras clicking away in public places, it adds at least 10 pounds! No, seriously put officers on the streets and stop collecting information in the name of "public safety'! I do not want to be European, I want to be American. While I loved my time in Europe, I loved coming home!

Unfortunately, the argument there is that a camera is only a onetime expense and doesn't require medical benefits, pension plans, etc., unlike a police officer.

I'm not saying I disagree with you though. While I'm no technological determinist and I don't really buy the argument that we are going to be "controlled" by technology one day, I think a flesh-and-blood police officer does a lot more for public safety than a security camera. Not to mention from a public relations standpoint: when the cops get out on the streets and get to know the neighborhood and community, people trust them a lot more.