How many cameras does it take ... ?

44. That's how many cameras it took to watch me eat a slice of pizza at Sam's Club.

Here's my challenge. Pick one stationary spot somewhere and count how many security cameras you can see, and so how many can see you. Report back here. Can anyone beat 44?

I'm just back from Sam's Club. I was hungry and my wife wasn't along, so I decided to indulge in a slice of pizza. I sat down at a table next to the food counter and, while I munched, I looked around. There were quite a few security cameras looking back, so I counted them. There were 30 hanging from the ceiling and another 14 over the checkout lines, visible from that one spot. That's 44 cameras to watch me munch a slice of pizza. Of course, surely some weren't watching me – no doubt some were watching the lady with a hot dog at the next table, and some watching the lady with a box of corn flakes in the checkout line, and some were watching the guy at the eyeglass counter try on frames. Remember when one camera alone felt like an invasion of privacy?

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One can always go as far as to say "if you got nothing to hide....."

It's a fine line and it's moved ever so slightly all the time.
But to be honest, I don't see an issue when it's out in public or in a supermarket. I don't feel the prying eyes on me. However if the law or similar was to set up a cameras around my private neighbourhood I would start to feel invaded a bit. Atleast if it was manned surveillance.

Some areas need it I guess, due to high crime rates etc. But ordinary neighbourhoods with "normal" people.... that's a no go. I don't want that camera to be able to see even 1% of my home or what I do inside it, that's my business no-one elses!

In the end, I don't think those who sit watching those monitors care too much about the individual people, unless they seem suspicious. I ponder how incredibly boring it must be to have that job :S

it's possible that all [some] the cameras you are seeing may not be real.

long time ago i worked at some small store with only one 'camera' behind the register and showcases.
it was fake , basically just a box with some wires that could be seen going into the wall.

people thought it was real though, they'd talk to me mentioning it, i'd do my best not to laugh at them.

i'm not suggesting anyone run off with a 'big screen', stores these days usually will have a number of methods to catch yah.

Oh I can relate to that.

Security camera have been spreading like the frickin' plague in the last decades.

I understand that its quite normal to have cameras at corner stores, gas stations and fast food joints, etc, where chances of having certain crimes committed is higher.

But in a "normal" restaurant, you know where there are waiters/waitresses attending and whatnot, I like you, see a bunch of cameras watching you eat.
Do we really need that many cameras ? Is it really necessary to have them in all the places ?
Places where its not necessary to watch your customers.
Its getting ridiculous. All for our own security.

Good thread OP.

Star and flag.

sams is a big store, security is there for many reasons... Its private property not public so why does it matter if they have 500 cameras?

Not all of the cameras are pointing at you just becuase you can see them.

One can always go as far as to say "if you got nothing to hide....." "

Just wait untill the info gathered by these cams becomes commercialy available and our partners/neighbours/bosses/enemies etc are able to SPY on our movements, THEN people will realise why this is an invasion of our privacy. AND IT WILL BECOME AVAILABLE TO ANYONE WILLING TO PAY.

reply to post by tinhattribunal


Agreed. I worked at a convenience store when I was young that had 3 cameras.

Only one worked and the other 2 were dummy cameras.

reply to post by Detergent


Dont be fooled, there are many more cameras
that you dont see and will never see.

I use to work at a wal-mart, hate the place, would
never shop there, have not been to one since i quit working
there (almost a year ago).
But talking to the guys at night that are in charge, i learned
there are MANY more camera's that you dont see...
on the door way's going in and out, thats not just a sensor to open
the door you are looking at.. there is a camera in there,
above every register, hidden where no one knows, just focused on the
register and the person working it, yup, there is one hidden there..
there are MANY hidden camera's in any given store that you
will never know about, so you can take that number and multiply it by a
few to get a true idea of how many were actually watching you..

most of the ones you can see, dont work or are not hooked to anything, they
are just there so the general public feels like they are being watched.

The one's you never see and wont know about... those are the ones that
are keeping a eye on you.

This is a brilliant thread,however i live in britain and we became a
locked down country a while ago,i live near a city centre and there's
one on every corner and then some,i've seen footage from the ones
on the street aswell and you wouldn't believe the quality.

That said they've become part of everyday life and i barely even notice
them now.

They replaced on the street law enforcement so if someone is up to no
good it's actually easier now.

fewer muggings i would imagine

can we include orbital hyperspectral satellites in our count?

I loaned a vehicle out awhile back and it was impounded.

I went to get it with the loanee's sugar-mamma and got there at closing so we had to come back the next day with more documentation and time.

The S-mamma the next day asked if I found an ear ring. I looked in transport vehicle from day before and didn't find it.

Back at the impound lot, upon arrival the morning next, S-mamma asked if they might have found the ear ring.


The guy at counter asked, "When were you here?" And I said, "right at closing last night, and the tell-tale time-mark could be referrenced because another guy the day before was closing shutters as we entered the establishment.

The guy grabbed a remote control and rewinded the security recording to the previous night at closing.

There we were at the counter - in hi-def living color.

The counter person then zoomed in to S=mamma's ears and, behold! you could zoom in so clear, you could check for wax build up if desired, and the 'lost' ear ring was not in her ear.

He then went on to describe how by law, they record all and the law enforcement may ask or subpoena recordings of any given date or time.

He then changed the monitor to seperate windows for each camera and there were 12 or 16 - didn't count them but seems like 4 by 4 height and depth respectively.

He said he had over 60K invested and could view remotely etc...

It definitely showed that the ear ring was lost prior to approaching the counter.

The end.