Local Government Use of Surveillance Technology Limited

A local government story appears on the front page of the Times of London today where the national government is limiting the use of surveillance cameras and other technologies for the gathering of information not related to public safety. The use of surveillance cameras around the UK for public safety purposes has been common place for many years. The Times article talks of changes in the law in 2002 which broadened the authority of local cities to use these cameras for other purposes. Apparently there has been extensive misuse of these cameras by city staff members. Now under the proposed changes the local chief executive (city manager) would have to specifically authorize the use of these cameras for these other purposes.

It is hard to imagine having these kind of cameras and other surveillance technology so extensively deployed in the USA for public safety let alone use to monitor private citizens' comings and goings.