BigBrotherBritain

The past decade has seen Britain become one of the most watched countries on the planet, with CCTV cameras littering the streets of every city, town and village, an electronic tag on every disruptive youth and the prospect of biometric ID cards just around the corner, the fiction of George Orwell seems to edge ever closer to reality with every new day and every new advancement in surveillance technology.

But have we gone too far? Is there any other way? And in the time of the worst economic crises the world has seen in the best part of a century, is this really where the tax payers’ money should be heading? Do even we feel safer as a nation?

In 2006, a report funded by the Information Commissioner's Office stated that ‘‘new technology and invisible techniques are being used to gather a growing amount of information about UK citizens.’’ The report, headed by the Information Commissioner Richard Thomas, claimed that the level of surveillance would grow and expand further in the next 10 years, and he warned that this expansion ‘‘could result in a growing number of people being discriminated against and excluded from society.’’

2 years later and the country has become one of the most monitored nations on the planet, with 1 CCTV camera for every 14 people (that’s an approximate total of 4.2 million active cameras across the UK), it’s estimated that the average British citizen is caught on tape around 300 times a day. The national DNA database currently holds profiles on around 3.5 million people and it was recently confirmed that a whopping 18 million pounds of government funding was spent on collating databases of communications information over the past 4 years. However alone we like to feel, what is certain is that the government IS watching.

So should we worry about these statistics? Are these advances and precautions necessary? And how safe does Britain feel under the watchful eye of the state?
Councillor Tony Pimblett, formerly of the South Ribble borough committee claims that surveillance has gone too far. ‘‘Personally I’m not in favour of it, I think it can get to the point where it’s a gross intrusion on peoples liberties and I don’t think it’s really helped in relation to solving crime’’
He argues that the use of personal data storage, electronic tagging and the development of a computer watchdog has done little to deter criminal activities on either a local or national scale and suggests that government funds should be going elsewhere. ‘‘I think the money spent on keeping an eye on people could be better spent on more police on the streets. The police are better equipped than ever but there is a lack of police presence in populated areas, the traditional bobby on the beat did a better job in preventing crime and unrest than the threat of electronic tags and cameras do.’’




Preston teacher Isobel Smith questions the ethical mentality behind the information kept by the government and the sensibilities behind the prospect of compulsory ID cards in the UK. ‘‘As citizens in a free country, we ought to be left to behave responsibly as free, independent human beings. Part of British identity is forged with the idea that you don’t have to carry around a bit of paper to prove you’re part of the British family, you don’t need a document to say you belong in your own home.’’

However, despite opposition towards the mounting use of surveillance technology in Britain today, not everyone feels the same reservations. Frenchwood pensioner, Sheena Hamilton, doesn’t see the problem with the watchful eye of the state. ‘‘As a pensioner, I feel safer with more cameras watching me, if I’m not doing anything wrong then my privacy can’t be invaded.’’
A child in the time of World War 2, Mrs Hamilton praises the logic behind national ID cards, and doesn’t see the problems that law abiding citizens could face. ‘‘I was brought up during the war and we all had identity cards, I can’t see the problem today, if you have nothing to hide then you have nothing to worry about.’’

So what does the future hold for BigBrotherBritain? (despite – fingers crossed – the cancelation of the dismal reality TV series)
Well according to the same academics who gathered the report of current surveillance, the next decade could well see;
- Shoppers being scanned as they enter stores. Scanning loyalty card data to affect how they are treated in store.
- New employees subjected to biometric and psychometric tests plus lifestyle profiles and diagnostic health tests common place.
- Card systems in schools, allowing parents to monitor what their children eat, their attendance, academic and drug test results
- And facial recognition systems, monitoring our movements with tiny cameras within lampposts and walls, with unmanned aircraft in the skies above.

Was George close? Should we be afraid? Should we be very afraid?

Personally I wouldn’t lose my head too soon, thankfully the system of government in Britain remains a democratic one, and as long as that is the case, the ruling elite remain essentially a peoples’ parliament. Until I see a camera pointing through my window, I won’t be throwing any eggs just yet.




Pictures thanks to stephenjjohnson, Geraintwn, Amanda farah, Coradia1000 and LHOON of Flickr.com