Introduction
What are CCTVs? CCTV is defined by Rouse as “… a TV
system in which signals are not publicly distributed but are monitored,
primarily for surveillance and security purposes.” (2012).
The use of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) for the purpose of surveillance has been a common practice amongst businesses and corporations everywhere around the world. These CCTVs are installed in order to protect business interests such as expensive hardware, products or sensitive areas like a bank’s safe. However, with the implementation of CCTV powered surveillance systems in public places, the rise of ethical issues tend to occur.
The use of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) for the purpose of surveillance has been a common practice amongst businesses and corporations everywhere around the world. These CCTVs are installed in order to protect business interests such as expensive hardware, products or sensitive areas like a bank’s safe. However, with the implementation of CCTV powered surveillance systems in public places, the rise of ethical issues tend to occur.
Society’s
Concern on CCTV Surveillance
1. Privacy
The worry of privacy intrusion has
always been the case when it comes to surveillance systems. According to Gill
and Spriggs (2005), the issue of civil liberties and the degree
to which respondents felt that CCTV was an invasion of privacy is a
long-standing issue raised with the use of surveillance systems. The people
subject to observation are often questioning the invasion of privacy that is
brought upon by the unknown recording of their activities by observing parties.
2. Crime
rates
One of the main purposes of
implementing the use of CCTVs in surveillance systems is in order to prevent crime.
This is done by providing a warning that potential criminals are being watched
and acts as a deterrent for them to actually carry out the crime. This however
does not effectively diminish the act of crimes because CCTVs are also
destroyed through vandalism.
The implementation of visual
recording through the use of CCTVs does provide a means to prosecute offenders
of the law by providing visual evidence to the police or authority in charge.
It also stands as very solid evidence in courts of law. The method of retrieval
is questionable when it comes to breach of privacy that is protected by yet
another law.
Ethical
Challenges
The use of CCTV technology has raised ethical issues.
Russell (2012) states that these ethical concerns are:
1. the
lack of privacy protection
Society has raised their issue and
in turn new rules and regulations were made to protect individual rights and
freedoms. These new rules specify the need to regulate the use and output of
information captured by CCTV surveillance systems. Carli(2008) states that “Politicians
who abide by CCTV as an effective and successful method in the field of crime
prevention, suggest that the presence of CCTV systems in public spaces act as a
deterrence to criminals or potential offenders. Therefore, innocent individuals
should not be bothered by its presence.”
2. the
repression of individual liberties for the ‘greater good’
Carli (2008) says that the mentality that is
used to convince the public that the public CCTV are used for a specific reason
and does not violate the public’s privacy or civil rights is that the cameras
target offenders and thus offer no harm to the general public. She continues to
say that “this mentality in fact poses an ethical concern, which assumes that
in general individuals are innocent and must give up some liberties for the
‘greater good’ (to detect the ‘rotten apples in society’).”
3. mounting
fears of insecurity.
The public realizes
the potential threat to privacy and personal data caused by the development of
technology. This is also caused by the ambiguous accountability when it comes
to controlling, monitoring and assessing data from CCTV systems.
The Effects of Surveillance Cameras in Public
Places Privacy
· Marcus Nieto of
the California Research Bureau said, "The U.S. Fifth Circuit Court noted
that 'this type of surveillance provokes an immediate negative visceral
reaction: indiscriminate video surveillance raises the specter of the Orwellian
State.'" However, he notes that police officers would patrol the same
public areas the cameras survey. According to the New York Civil Liberties
Union, dissenters claim that the cameras are too widespread as to create an
infrastructure that is not being overseen or held accountable by any governing
entity.
Offender Awareness
Since surveillance cameras in public areas are not always
monitored, their effectiveness depends on public awareness of the camera, as
well as individual offender awareness. A study by Honess and Charman (1992) said
that 45 percent of people surveyed in a town center did not believe
surveillance cameras were effective in reducing fear of crime. In addition,
according to the U.S. Department of Justice, the theory behind the
effectiveness of surveillance cameras hinges on the rational thinking of
potential criminals, who might be mentally ill or under the influence of
alcohol or other drugs.
Detection through Surveillance
Surveillance cameras in
public places can be used either to review footage or find information to help
make an arrest or to detect and respond to crimes as they are occurring. The
success of these techniques is dependent partially on the availability of
responding resources. CCTV systems can provide warning signs of potential criminal
offences and act as a reactive tool.
CCTV monitors crowds
and individuals, responds to threats and thus notifies the operator(s) of
harmful behaviour and
actions before, during and after the occurrence of an event. For example, video
surveillance cameras have been extremely useful in identifying the offenders of
crimes apart from statements from witnesses. Furthermore, they can be an
effective tool for surveying ‘sensitive’ areas when other security forces are
not available.
Society’s
Ethical Stance on the Use of CCTV in Public Places
It is certain that privacy is the main concern of
the society on the implementation of CCTV in places they frequent on a daily
basis. Macnish (2011) said that “Privacy is also of value to society at large.
As noted, we may appear in public safe in the knowledge that our weaknesses are
not on display for all to see, allowing for confident personal interaction.
When we vote we do so in the belief that no-one can see our decision and treat
us well or poorly in the light of how we voted.”
In the United Kingdom, a research was carried out by
Gill and Spriggs (2005) to obtain feedback from the society in multiple cities
on the implementation of CCTV surveillance systems and the finding of the
research stated that “…levels of concern over privacy, which were low before
the installation of CCTV, remained low afterwards.” The society is therefore
inclined to the placement of CCTV powered surveillance systems in public
places.
According to Ratcliffe (2006), in the United States,
the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution protects citizens from
“unreasonable searches and seizures by law enforcement and other government
agencies”. He continues to state that “The emphasis is on the protection of
people, not places. As a result, at least in terms of clearly public places,
citizens cannot have an expectation of privacy.”
References
1. Carli,
V. (2008). Assessing CCTV as an Effective Safety and Management Tool for
crime-solving, prevention and reduction . Retrieved from:
http://www.ehow.com/list_6956949_effects-surveillance-cameras-public-places.html#ixzz2BKCOovGN
2. CCTV
and Surveillance (n.d.). Public Reaction to CCTV. Retrieved on October 24, 2012
from http://www.cctvandsurveillance.com/public.php
3. Gill,
M. & Spriggs, A. (2005). Assessing the impact of CCTV. Retrieved on October
24, 2012 from https://www.cctvusergroup.com/downloads/file/Martin%20gill.pdf
4. Honess,
T. & Charman, E., (1992). Closed Circuit Television in Public Places: Its Acceptability
and Perceived Effectiveness, Crime Prevention Unit Series Paper No. 35, London:Home
Office Police Department.
5. Macnish,
K. (2011). Surveillance Ethics. Retrieved on October 28, 2012 from http://www.iep.utm.edu/surv-eth/
6. Ratcliffe,
J. (2006). Video Surveillance of Public Places. Retrieved on October 19, 2012
from http://www.popcenter.org/responses/video_surveillance/6
7. Rouse,
M. (2012) CCTV (closed circuit television). Retrieved on October 17, 2012 from http://searchcio-midmarket.techtarget.com/definition/CCTV.
8. Russell,
E. M. (2012). The Effects of Surveillance Cameras in Public Places. Retrieved on
October 25 2012 from: http://www.crime-prevention-intl.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Publications/Assessing_CCTV_as_an_effective_safety_and_management_tool_ANG.pdf
