http://www.cato.org/view_ddispatch.p...ate=20080211#3
It's inevitable that the US will follow in the UK's footsteps and become a surveillance state where nearly all our public activity is recorded. And yes, soon facial recognition software and other similar algorithms will relieve humans the job of sorting through all the garbage.
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Corruption could become an issue. This has already happened in a number of U.S. cities that have installed cameras at traffic intersections to deter drivers from running red lights. Authorities in Lubbock, Texas, actually shortened the yellow lights at intersections where they had placed cameras. This increased the number of red light violations, which nicely padded the city's revenues. Worse, traffic accidents at those intersections increased. The cameras actually made drivers less safe. The problem wasn't fixed until an investigation by a local television station brought the matter to public attention.
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I don't like it either but it's inevitable. There's too many practical excuses idiots can use to justify it.
No, they won't deter crime. Yes they will erode privacy. No, it wont be the end of the world.
I think over the next century or so we're going to enter a world without much privacy. It's a terrifying thought, but to the kids who grow up in it I don't think it will seem like a big deal. There are certainly advantages to a transparently-open society. Certainly there is the risk of overwhelming groupthink and the destruction of individual freedoms but this isn't the only scenario.
The transparency works both ways. The proliferation of video recordings has caused problems for some people, no doubt. The Star Wars kid and various elephant-sized humans probably aren't too fond of the mocking they receive on YouTube.
Then again, how many police abuse cases have been brought to light via the same means?
A transparent society without privacy is terrifying because it requires faith and trust in your fellow man. We all have our moments of public stupidity and perversion.
Will it lead to a new era of Puritan morality police? Or will it lead to a greater understanding of our nature and an ultimately more permissive and compassionate society?
It's difficult to trust the masses who I mockingly refer to as sheeple beying over shiny things. Despite this, I remain optimistic about the future.
