The all-seeing eye of the London 2012 Olympics mascot

The general immunisation of Britain's youth to our surveillance state continues apace.

After fingerprinting in schools and CCTV in changing rooms, you would think that somebody might have realised that this sort of thing often produces a backlash, but it seems the London 2012 Olympics team just went with it anyway.

The image you see on the right is 'Wenlock' - one of the two creepy cyclopean mascots chosen as the child-friendly ambassadors representing the London games. 

'Why is it a Big Brother Watch issue', one might ask? Wenlock's official site can oblige:

The shape of the front of my head is based on the shape of the Olympic Stadium roof. My eye is a camera lens, capturing everything I see as I go...

Isn't that delightful?! Given that we're already concerned by reports of increased Section 44: stop and searches, unmanned drones and general surveillance surrounding the London games; surely someone might have thought that sticking a CCTV camera on the mascot is a silly idea?

But then again, maybe it's all grimly appropriate.

By Dylan Sharpe

**UPDATE**

As ever, the sardonic Jeremy Paxman has the best word on these monstrosities. Click here to view.

Comments

[Sarkis Zeronian]

Another interesting take on the subject:

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/sport/sport-headlines/the-mascot-nightmares-begin-201005202749/

[Cazzy Jones]

Sadly inspiring - my own take ties in Judas Priest lyrics and Fatso the Fat-Arsed Wombat.

http://cazzyjones.blogspot.com/2010/05/come-back-fatso-all-is-forgiven.html

[Redacted]

@Cazzy Jones: How about "Poopy the pear-shaped Pigeon"? Nice Lunden theme? No batteries required. Absolutely Not wifi enabled. I hereby release this valuable brainwave into the public domain.

[Purlieu]

Oh so it's not Lisa Simpson then ?

[Redacted]

I have just had the unsettling thought that these will quite possibly be produced as kids toys incorporating a simple video camera and USB port. That's why the eye is a camera lens.

2012 Olympics is gonna be a surveillance industry showcase event. How fabulous! I just can't wait to ignore the whole thing. In fact I want to ignore it right now.

[No Kidding]

Given the national purse is empty, who's going to be paying for the therapy the nations children will be needing after two years of these two preaching "it's all for your own good"?

[Purlieu]

I hereby challenge the London 2012 committee to run a public online vote to get actual people's views of how naff or wonderful are ...
1. The Olympic 2012 Logo
2. These two mascots
Since they spent, sorry admitted to spending, £400,000 on the "fellatio" logo, I'm going to venture it was over a million of the mascots, due to the animation work etc that's also involved.
Truly this Olympics so far is being remembered for all the wrong reasons.
Takes you back, doesn't it ...