China's all seeing eye

[Bea]

Interesting article by Naomi Klein,originally written for Rolling Stone magazine, about the development of a prototype for a high tech Police state, which is ready for export to the rest of the World
Do you believe that it is inevitable that we will also be forced to buy into this new sort of technology?



www.informationclearinghouse.info/article20278.htm

[Nobody]

I don't believe it's inevitable that we'll be forced to buy into this technology - we're already the best part of the way there.

Quite often in the UK press articles appear warning that we're heading toward a "Big Brother" society. It's already here. And by the time the press get round to announcing "It's here!", it'll be so deeply entrenched in law and culture that it won't be possible to reverse the situation.

[overandout]

Actually I have to disagree a little. I think there is already a real backlash against the Big Brother project - in recent weeks we have seen councils in the UK forget about their plans to install chips in wheelie bins to monitor people's rubbish:

www.worcesternews.co.uk/search/3183904.print/

and Swindon town council has just decided to retract its funding for speed cameras:

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/council-may-stop-funding-speed-cameras-867636.html

Baby steps maybe, but still steps in the right direction.

[Nobody]

Well it was announced just the other day that the Government are now seeking the power to record all phone calls, emails and online purchases of British citizens.....and let's not forget, they still want to bring in ID cards and biometrics.

And although some speed cameras may be on the way out, new CCTV cameras which can record coversations are on the way in. Face recognition capability is next on the agenda.

Just recently plans were announced to microchip Police Officers and Prisoners...thin end of the wedge....

[overandout]

Well I hope it doesn't happen. I also think (or hope) there will be a substantial shift in policy away from this casual day-to-day surveillance when the Tories come back to power (as they probably will do at the next general election). For all their other faults (and they have plenty), personal freedoms are traditionally at the bedrock of Conservative philosophy.

I also hope that when Islamic terrorism ceases to be the big bogeyman, and people forget what they're supposed to be scared of, they will want their freedoms back.