U.K.: 007 Goes Into the Trash Business
Convinced that the U.K. doesn't have enough surveillance cameras, the town council of Ealing is going to install hidden cameras in food cans and hollow bricks. This is necessary to keep an eye on terrorists and violent criminals.
No wait, it's not. Sorry. It's to catch citizens who put their trash out on the wrong day.
A council is planning to catch residents who leave rubbish out on the wrong day — with cameras hidden in baked means tins. Sneaky Ealing Council in West London will also put the tiny CCTV bugs inside house bricks to film offenders. Householders caught breaking strict new rubbish rules — dubbed "enviro-crimes" — will be fined up to £1,000. The surveillance plans have outraged residents who say it is the latest example of Big Brother Britain. It follows a £2million scheme adopted by six councils to put the devices in wheelie bins.
A spokesman for Tory-controlled Ealing yesterday said the £200 movement-sensitive bugs — which may be placed on existing rubbish piles — would become a "vital tool" in catching wheelie bin mis-users and graffiti artists. He said: "To catch vandals and enviro-criminals, cameras disguised as anything from tin cans to house bricks will instantly email images to the council’s CCTV control centre."
Next up are probably cameras installed inside laundromat machines, to catch people who don't separate their whites from their colors, or who dare choose the wasteful extra-hot setting.
Where's my Guy Fawkes mask.... i know it's around here somewhere....
Posted by: colson | Friday, March 23, 2007 at 05:45 AM
A Tory controlled council going in for Big Brother-ism? Clearly things are pretty far gone over there
Posted by: Martin Owens | Friday, March 23, 2007 at 07:47 AM
I am fascinated by this surveilance state. Is there some gigantic room with filled with monitors and lots of people observing? Even if they put up cameras on every last light pole and building corner in the country, who is monitoring all this?
Posted by: Myrtle | Friday, March 23, 2007 at 08:58 PM
Hmm, maybe that's why the NHS is the largest government employer - they certainly aren't devoting money to health care.
Posted by: Agammamon | Saturday, March 24, 2007 at 03:26 PM
They took away their guns and knives! What did you THINK would happen?
Ooh! It's time to put on a bit of entertainment!
Everyone wank in the window!
Posted by: Riftalope | Friday, April 25, 2008 at 04:42 PM