Harry Metcalfe alerts Geeklawyer to the latest act of surveillance excess: total vehicle surveillance. Eventually a database of every vehicle movement on very road in the country logged for 2 years. With camera’s every 400 yards to enforce speed limits it should prove a nice little earner, but mainly of course it’s about “denying criminals the roads”, no honest, really. What happens when criminals start using high powered horses?
At the risk of not quite name dropping Geeklawyer recalls a Home Office minister telling him: “people like you objected to CCTV cameras and everyone now loves them”. As Bliar would no doubt say “Stop being naive, get real. I just think, you know, we live in the 21st century now, not the 18th century, we have to accept total surveillance. What about the most fundamental human right of all: the right to keep untaxed chavs off the road?”
Geeklawyer notes, en passant, that the Disclosure of Vehicle Insurance Regulations 2005 were made under powers provided for in the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005. So, no misuse of powers there then: give a copper an inch and he’ll take your life, probably, if you’re Brazilian.
No comments yet.