It's well enough known that here in the UK we have the highest amount of CCTV cameras per head of population. You walk the streets, you are being watched. You go shopping, you are being watched. You go to work, you are being watched. Likewise if you visit the doctor. Even taking a bus journey.
Every part our life is monitored in one way or the other, not just by CCTV which I'm sure most people are aware of and accept as a 'crime fighting' tool to keep us 'safe' while we go about our business.
But, there are many other ways we are being watched.
Do you have a supermarket loyalty card? Your supermarket knows everything about you and your shopping habits. They will know, for instance, when your wife or girlfriend is due her 'monthly visitor'. If you happen to buy a pregnancy test kit, their database will be ready to unleash coupons and leaflets to your address advertising their baby club etc. They sell all data collected on you to third party organisations. They know your likes and dislikes. They know when you have a bit more spare cash one month because you bought yourself some treats or some extra beer when shopping.
When you go to fill the car up, the majority of petrol stations record and store every car registration number at the pumps. This is in addition to the usual CCTV.
The police when out on patrol in their nice fancy traffic car collect and check every registration number they happen upon, using ANPR technology. Apparently this is a good thing, if the unending propoganda on the multitude of cop shows on TV is to believed.
Even your loyal mobile phone betrays you. Your location can be tracked to the nearest phone mast.
On Monday past, every phone call and text message, every e mail sent and received, every internet page looked at and all browsing habits started to be recorded/logged/analysed.
We are all numbers in the system, National Insurance numbers, NHS numbers, Passport numbers etc.
I'm sure there is more.
It sure is good living in a 'free' country.
5 comments:
What are up to?eh! that you get frightened of being watched.Any innocent citizen has no need to sneak around looking over their shoulder...
Oh and that there car tracking technology aint as effective as you are led to belive.
Given i was pulled over by the bill and accused of driving a stolen car without any insurance mot etc..
Uh no officer its my car all taxed mot and insured..Oh right gonna breathalyze me now...well thats all clear.what next spose you all have to leave me alone bye then..
then report to polis station with all documentation proving me right.
and as the WPC said to me sometimes the information is incorrect and can take a considerable time being updated..sorry for the inconvenience sir...........
Sorry for the inconvenience my arse!
i heard this said many times and its true: Hitler did win the war after all..if you dont hear from me for a while, i'll be in room 101.
And then a policeman hits Ian Tomlinson with his baton - and lo! - turns out there are no CCTV cameras in that particular part of the square mile.......
Amazing!
And congratulations on the blog Rab, blogrolled for you.
Amazing that innit?
The Penguin
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