The Observer - Your Thoughts On This Techs Implications.

Now You Too Can Spy On The Populace?

I came across this invention in the newspaper today and immediately thought of how this can be used negatively and also the sociological impact this could have if rolled out nation/continent/worldwide. I'll add more to this post soon (Just home from work).

Product Designer Lee Murray has created a new application for CCTV surveillance with his object, The Observer; a public access viewing station allowing any member of the public to watch others through CCTV cameras. The object explores the potential social effects that could arise if all CCTV cameras were monitored by the public. Would people become vigilantes if they saw a crime being committed, would they watch it just for fun, or would they alert the police if there was a cash prize? Taking inspiration from door peepholes, an everyday spying tool, & amplifying the idea to be used for a nationwide system of surveillance, The Observer creates a unique insight into the act of watching others. Lee (21) says “At the beginning of the project I became fascinated by mystery, especially in the field of surveillance & spying. I am also very interested in exploring the edge of design & society, so The Observer grew naturally out of this desire to challenge these boundaries & create unique interactions with existing technologies”. Using web camera & internet technology to bring the concept to life, Lee hopes that ultimately the entire system would be connected to the nations extensive network of CCTV cameras. Constructed from sheet steel & aluminium, The Observer's design has been inspired from classic science-fiction books & films such as "Brave New World", "1984" & "Brazil".

After reading this in the newspaper this morning on the way to work, I immediately thought of the negative implications this can have on us as a society.
First of all we should note that the young inventor of this device has said in the above quote that the design has been inspired from classic science-fiction books & films such as "Brave New World", "1984" & "Brazil". We can't take the boys ambition and drive away from him because, to be honest, most people on ATS doesn't know how crap it is to live in Dundee (where he is from). There is so much wrong with his references to such books that it makes me wonder how many other "unsigned inventors" have such an approach to invention. Perhaps the young guy believes in having the populace controlled.

But all that is another topic of its own. I am concerned about how this prepares and conditions our children to accepting spying as the norm and how the public will, one day, be completely open to surveillance even more so than today.

I'm sorry that I haven't finished what i wanted to post but I'll finish off in an hour or two. I'm just home from work but here is a youtube video and some links following.

Discuss nicely whether you believe this can become a positive or negative technology and the impacts it could have on society. My viewpoint is probably clear but I'd like to hear all views on all aspects of the technology - sociologically, psychologically, Nokia, mindset of scientists/youngsters/oldies etc etc



Lee Murray site

Random Site

I think that if any government ever uses extensive surveillance then something like this should be available.

Have you ever read the book "The Light of Other Days" by AC Clarke and Stephen Baxter? That book deals with the implications of literally anyone anywhere being able to see anywhere else is space (and also time) via wormholes.

I pretty much agree with that book. People would abuse it at first but eventually it would make our society a Utopia since everyone will be accountable for everything they do.