Sweden puts teh smackdown on CCTV voyeurism

[Kaftan Barlast]

I saw this on TV so Im afraid theres no article to link to, not in English anyway. But:

 

 

In order to ensure the privacy of the public, FOI (swede military defense research) has constructed a system that encrypts video feeds from CCTV systems, making detailed video visible only to the Police after obtaining permission to access the data by the District Attourney. As the vast majority of live supervision is handled by security companies and not by proper police officers, there is a need to limit the potential for abuse and violation of integrity. The way the system works is by filtering feeds from CCTV into a computer that recognises humans, another system then mosaics-out the humans filmed and sends that to the CCTV monitors while the unscrambled video is enrypted and stored. Thus, a security guard would no longer be able to see his neighbours daughter buying a pregnancy test, but he would get enough detail to see if someone is getting robbed. If the police believes a crime has been filmed, they can apply to the DA for a warrant, in order to get an encryption key making it possible for them to watch the tapes in full detail with no scrambling.

 

This makes perfect sense if you think about the fact that CCTV photage isnt actually used to locate criminals or detect crime in realtime, but rather to help the following investigation and as evidence in court.

 

 

 

Neat, innit? Though I suspect this system wont find much of a market in the US

[Tale]

I like it. How many European countries have CCTV? I'd be surprised if there was even a single US city that had anything like it. Most we have are security cameras belonging privately to the store they're located at and the odd traffic camera.

Edited August 9, 2007 by Tale

[Arkan]

I like it. How many European countries have CCTV? I'd be surprised if there was even a single US city that had anything like it. Most we have are security cameras belonging privately to the store they're located at and the odd traffic camera.

Good. Don't need Big Brother watching me wank...I mean, walk through the street.

[Kaftan Barlast]

I think London has the most comprehensive system in the world. We dont have anywhere near that much linked surveillance but since you need a license to setup even the smallest video surveillance system here, this sramble-encrypt system would be installed *everywhere*, ensuring your privacy even if you're stopping by a gas station in the northern wastes of Lappland(where mkreku comes from).

[Tale]

How much would that cost to install and maintain, though? I imagine it would be quite a pretty penny.

[Tigranes]

Well, London for example already spent many a dime installing cameras every corner of central London, so why not fork out some more for, I don't know, privacy?

 

It's a great technology and I hope it is adopted.

[Walsingham]

It's aneat idea. However, in about five to ten years most of that pre-processing will be done using computer algorithms rather than rentacops. It's already starting with things like firearms.

[mkreku]

I think London has the most comprehensive system in the world. We dont have anywhere near that much linked surveillance but since you need a license to setup even the smallest video surveillance system here, this sramble-encrypt system would be installed *everywhere*, ensuring your privacy even if you're stopping by a gas station in the northern wastes of Lappland(where mkreku comes from).

I don't think Kiruna has cameras yet. In fact, I don't think they have electricity yet.

 

The polar bears ate all the electricity.

[Meshugger]

I think London has the most comprehensive system in the world. We dont have anywhere near that much linked surveillance but since you need a license to setup even the smallest video surveillance system here, this sramble-encrypt system would be installed *everywhere*, ensuring your privacy even if you're stopping by a gas station in the northern wastes of Lappland(where mkreku comes from).

I don't think Kiruna has cameras yet. In fact, I don't think they have electricity yet.

 

The polar bears ate all the electricity.

 

No matter. Last i've heard, is that they have to move the whole town because of the risk of it sliding....200 meters downwards.

 

Oh, and kudos to the Swedes for keeping Big Brother out the way.

Edited August 10, 2007 by Meshugger

[mkreku]

Last i've heard, is that they have to move the whole town because of the risk of it sliding....200 meters downwards.

Yup. The mining company, LKAB, is so rich they've decided to move half the town, one building at a time, to be able to drill the iron ore core that runs beneath the town.