Can you disappear in surveillance Britain?

David Bond wanted to see if it’s possible to vanish so one day he packed his bag, got into his car and kissed his wife goodbye.

This article is a chilling reminder of how big the government is. David Bond was appalled at the amount of information that was stored about him, and how detailed it all was. There were bad marks against him for being friends with an individual accused of shoplifting, even though she was proven innocent a year later. A drink-driving offense from his youth was still available to be seen, despite being expunged.

This man attempts to disappear, after arranging for a detectives to pursue him. This was made into a film.

The detectives involved spoke of the National Health Services initiative that is spending countless pounds to create a database of everyone medical records. They express their concern of the misuses of the information.

reply to post by ninthaxis
There's no doubt about it, they really want to keep tabs on us in the UK. I'm not really sure why, I mean your average Brit seems to be somewhat naive as to the real nature of their society and unshakable in their world view.

Maybe it's not the average ones they're worried about though.

reply to post by Robert Reynolds


Having an outside perspective (living in a country with very little public surveillance), I can honestly say the UK would probably be the last place I would ever go. I hate being in an average photograph...knowing there were constantly cameras on me watching everything I did, everywhere I went, would make me very uneasy...I think they've taken it way too far...

[edit on 30/4/10 by CHA0S]

I've wondered the same thing, Why ?
I can understand some surveillance, but the UK's really gone crazy with it. I'm wondering if they're planning for something in the future, like an economic collapse when people start rioting.

Originally posted by Robert Reynolds
There's no doubt about it, they really want to keep tabs on us in the UK. I'm not really sure why

Originally posted by adriantba
I've wondered the same thing, Why ?
I can understand some surveillance, but the UK's really gone crazy with it. I'm wondering if they're planning for something in the future, like an economic collapse when people start rioting.

Originally posted by Robert Reynolds
There's no doubt about it, they really want to keep tabs on us in the UK. I'm not really sure why

thats one reason...another is simply this...the state..and the EU..want total control over our lives..germany are slowly getting cameras too...as im sure all other countries are...

[edit on 30-4-2010 by alienesque]

reply to post by adriantba
I suppose it could simply be that the companies that operate or supply the cameras are just good friends with certain MP's or such, but I don't think that's it. They suddenly wanted everybody trackable as if they knew something was going to happen. This all started well before the alleged rise of Islamic terrorism as well.

reply to post by CHA0S
The UK's a wonderful place to be, just as long you accept the 'truth', don't mind being spied on and don't care about being enslaved by fuel, food and house prices.

reply to post by Robert Reynolds


I was amazed when I David was reading through documents about himself and found one that said something about him sounding angry on a night in November 2006. What reason is there to have this documented anywhere? This goes way beyond the scope of what I thought would be collected about people.

You people know i often speak about was done to me here in london, and people say why not just leave. This is why, these scum would know anywhere you go. If they start destroying your life they will forever, and the general public will love it.

Even changing your name does nothing as these scum will just know from all these records.

The amount of cameras in Britain at the minute is ridiculous, it wouldnt be so bad if they were a lot more succesfull at doing what theyre supposed to do. Let me explain what im getting at....im from quite a rough area in the UK and in all honesty i could go upstairs and look out of my front and back windows and count maybe eight cctv cameras (these are just the type used for surveillance not counting security and speed cameras). Now in this area i would say that these cameras need to be used everyday to help police investigations etc, however, almost everytime theres 'trouble' and the police are contacting the camera control rooms they actually catch very little that help the police. Ive actually heard this come through policemans radios when theyve been around on more than one occasion, it annoys and frustrates them so much.

The one thing these cameras do seem to do so well is catching the benefit fraudsters, theyre watching houses to see who goes out to work on a morning when they shouldnt be. Yes i agree this is a crime but these cameras are for our protection (so they say) not for the governments use of catching the benefit fraudsters.

On another note, not too long ago there was a serious crime local to me and the police again needed the assistance of the camera control room and again it was no use they hadnt seen anything. Two weeks later the police were around doing door to door questions about this case and hey presto they were showing surveillance pics of this crime happening, what was strange to me is that the pictures couldnt of been from the cameras i know about and can see because the angle and perspective just wasnt right on the pictures, it made me wonder what other photgraphic surveillance methods they had that we dont know about.

Ive had a few friends dissapear from the UK recently, its quite easy really they lost all ID, fones, bank cards etc and travelled with fishing boats from various towns on the west coast. Im planning on going off-grid very soon myself and leaving the country, had enough of the fascist state the UK is becoming

[edit on 30-4-2010 by cosmodromia tis parnasida]

Seems there is a bit of hype here.

1. The majority of CCTV cameras are Private owned NOT State/Government owned.

2. CCTV cameras are NOT everywhere. I can leave my house and drive to work 5 miles away and the first camera I see is in my place of works' carpark.

3. The NHS Digital Patient Data Record (when it ever comes online) is in my opinion a good thing. Its a NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE, which means that wherever you go in the UK and are ill or have an accident, your medical file can be accessed from the said Medical facility. It can only be accessed by certain personnel with the NHS.

4. MOD and HMP Medical records are already digitalised. I personally access them, they are brilliant. No lost notes and unreadable handwriting anymore.

Lets face it, we have been 'trackable' in most western countries for many years. It is nothing new.

reply to post by ninthaxis
I dread to think the amount of information they have on me then, I don't have a criminal record, but I've certainly been angry a few times. They probably tag you from school and watch your progress. Anyone with anything resembling intellect, that posesses their own opinion and doesn't conform, is probably considered a threat.

My bank phoned me the other week (my bank account being empty) asking if they could sell me some service for 13 quid a month, but they were asking me about my other financial services that I used. The next day, the recruitment agency I've been working for phoned me with an offer of work and for some reason asked me if my bank details were still the same. Coinsidence? Possibly, but when I consider the fact that this agency is about the only place that seems to offer any work nowadays and the fact the bloke I deal with is just so creepily over-friendly, I can't help wondering.

But in the end, David Bond concludes, it’s not enough to blame politicians or corporations. “We are all partly to blame. There is no baddie, no evil genius in Whitehall stroking a white cat.” He pauses. “At least, I hope not.”

conclusion to the OP's article.

I find this an interesting point of view, most of the data that is kept on us, and is accessible, is the stuff we put out there.

the detectives started their search by getting hold of his face book page, without that they would have found everything else more difficult.

they gained information by going through his bins.

tesco's is mentioned as holding a lot of information but this is mostly gained through people voluntarily giving up their shopping details for a few pennies worth of club-card points.

I think people need to start taking a lot more responsibility about what they put out there. they sell it for little or nothing all over the shop.

[edit on 30/4/10 by pieman]

Most of the cameras are useless.

Why?

Because my Brother works for the CCTV / Police in Northampton. He parked his pushbike right outside the Police station, chained it up and went into work.

Later during his shift, on his screens, he spotted two teenage yobs nicking his bike.

By the time he got outside, they were gone with his new mountain bike, worth quite a lot.

Now you would have thought it was safe to park in the Police Station carpark, in front of cameras, yeah, right?

Wrong!

He showed the recorded video to the Police Officers and they said they couldn't do anything because they couldn't recognise them. He now walks to work!

What a # country we live in!

reply to post by minkey53


if the cameras aren't fit for the purpose they are supposed to fulfill yet continue to be put up, they're probably not meant for the purposes which they are supposed to fulfill.

Oh it is still very easy to disappear in Britain. Make friends with the boat people who live on the canals or live with gypsies. If you have some money have a friend who you can trust by some woodland and move into the woodland and park a caravan there. Then build an underground home(you dont need planning permission to build structures underground) and live there so if anyone visits the caravan they will find it empty and unlived. Also you have to work for cash and spend only cash. Dont get in contact with friends and family and try to have only one person who knows where you are. Despite all the technological advances people use to keep track of people, you can only track people if they themselves are using the same technology and if you have medical needs then you pretty much screwed as it is almost impossible to hide if you need prescription drugs.

[edit on 30/4/2010 by loner007]

reply to post by ninthaxis


Im lucky that I live way out in the wilds of the Scottish Highlands. No CCTV,no mobile signal, no police. The only problems are caused by alcohol, cars in ditches and fights in the pubs. The only way of tracking us is when we use our credit/debit cards or covert surveillance. I'm so pleased I did a"suitcase and running shoes job" up the M6.


[edit on 30/4/10 by IMOVERHERE]

[edit on 30/4/10 by IMOVERHERE]

Wow.. thank you, very much for bringing this to my attention and to others who hadnt previously heard of this.. i read the entire artical with interest and will be looking forward to seeing the film..this is beyond scary and way above disturbing.. and yup, the statement ' i have nothing to hide' is irrelievent it seems...
Thank you again

I don't think it is just Britian either. The article says that russia China are the top two in surveillance and I would guess the US is up there too. The US has its own version of Britian's NHS with the new health legislation that passed. We are too quick to give up our liberties and privacy these days.