Coalition: inappropriate CCTV? Take your Council to court!

Humble pie time at BBW Towers, perhaps. Nick Clegg gave a speech about civil liberties recently, upon which I poured scorn. When, I asked, were specific policies ever going to arrive?

The answer, it seems, is today. In a story on the front page of today's Telegraph, Nick Clegg's Protection of Freedoms Bill gets a very good write-up. The most eye-catching - for readers of our blogging about CCTV, our research or our book - is the pledge to allow any member of the public to refer a local authority for judicial review if they can argue that CCTV cameras have been set up, or are being used, inappropriately.

The power has all been one-way since the faceless controllers of these intrusive devices started snooping on our streets. Now, finally, a politician with the power to do something about it has taken up the issue and given the public the tools with which to fight back. And of course, for all the securocrats out there, there's plenty of reassurance available in the Clegg model. The court system offers a fair shake to defend the monitoring system under challenge; those genuinely needed, operating proportionately and not being abused will either not be challenged, or will surely survive a challenge if they are...

Most importantly, the simple existence and promotion of such an avenue of redress will have a chilling effect on the behaviour of bureaucrats. Until now, as I've argued elsewhere, the fear of a petty official with thumpingly disproprortionate powers peering at one's every move has had a distorting effect on British life in recent times. Hitherto, such bureaucratic bullies have operated in a risk-free environment, without any realistic prospect of repercussions. Let's hope that this Bill means that the next time some team of town hall Tarzans wants to expand a CCTV scheme without consultation or intrude into someone's privacy, they fear what might happen to them.

Clegg has an op-ed in the Telegraph, too - well worth a read.

By Alex Deane

Comments

[Richard Craven]

Good. This is what I voted for.

[John]

It certainly is a step in the right direction but as I understand it, judicial review is only possible for the well-heeled. Will it be legally-aided?

[NeverSurrender]

The use of every single CCTV camera in the land, public or private, should be questioned. Unless there is an overwhelming justification for the use of a CCTV camera it should be removed and any use that is permitted should be temporary.
I would go even further and make it a serious offence to film of photograph anyone without their consent unless they are about to commit a crime or are in the process of committing a crime.
Casual photography and filming where people are photographed incidentally should be OK as should the photography and filming of public parades and events.
I would also ban these voyeuristic 'cops with cameras' type of programme. They are really offensive.

[Richard Craven]

@NeverSurrender

I agree

[Winston]

Seconded

[Purlieu]

Sorry can't agree with "serious offence to film of photograph anyone without their consent ... etc"
And how tall do you have to be to make it "serious" rather than "trivial" ?
How can you tell if someone is "about to commit a crime" do we need pre-cogs now ?

[NeverSurrender]

@Purlieu - Quite simple on both points. 1) Point a camera at someone without first getting their consent and you risk a prison sentence. You will be surprised at the number of people who don't like being filmed or photographed and they are not even Red Indians or very tall. This would have the added bonus of putting the paparazzi out of business as well along with all the garbage that they peddle. 2) No need for the Minority Report stuff. It is pretty easy if you see someone about to pinch something out of a bag or from a shelf, to anticipate that morons are going to vandalise something, to spot a drug dealer about to out his hand in his pocket to hand over his wares e.t.c.
We do not need any of the mass surveillance in this country. It is intimidating, demeaning and degrading to be continually treated like a criminal. Our liberty has been taken from us without justification and we simply want it back.

[UGG]

Everything looks so much nicer now! Thanks again