Bans plans for security cameras throughout the city.
It's disappointing, as another reader noted, that the Channel 5 headline included "...May Cost Thousands" instead of "...Respects Privacy".
(edit: Hmmm, I guess this is old news, as the ACLU noted it last week. Still pretty cool though.)
Brookline residents are fighting back against invasive video surveillance, but David B. Goldstein, police chief of Winthrop, can't understand why- and in standard security theater style:
"This is some of the price all of us to have pay for living in a free society, but a threatened society,"
I thought the price you pay for living in a free society is the possibility that someone may use the freedom you enjoy to hurt you.
Robert "Semper Fi" Dunford claims:
"There was no debate in Boston [...] Obviously, there are some people who look at it as an invasion of privacy, but we're not looking at anything that's not already public."
There was no debate in Boston because Bostonians weren't given a choice in the matter. As for "anything that's not already public", well- ain't it funny how that works, Mr. Dunford?
Reminders: the UK Police Chiefs think they're a waste of money, and London has 10,000 cameras and can't solve 80% of its reported crimes. You'd think US police chiefs and mayors would listen; after all, the UK reportedly has 4 million CCTV cameras and use of the cameras has been widespread for 15 years there, so it would be fair to call them experts.
Baroptic lets users watch streaming live views of popular clubs in several cities, including Boston.
I've got to wonder if these businesses disclose the presence of cameras to patrons...
Gary McGath notes the new CharlieCards will have RFID chips and that the T plans to retain information on where and when you get on the T for up to two years:
... It opens the possibility of privacy invasion, both by government agencies and by private parties. What information can be read by someone with a completely placed scanner? Does it have openly readable personal information? Anyone who issues an RFID-based personal ID should tell its users that, but the MBTA is telling us nothing. A Google search for "RFID" on mbta.com turns up no hits.
I'm not a fan of tinfoil hats, but a tinfoil wallet is starting to sound like a good idea to me.
Xjustquietx, though, doesn't buy it:
... For god's sake. So they're tracking where you get on the T in the morning and where you get on at night. So now the government knows where you WORK and LIVE. Like anyone with 5 seconds and an internet connection can't FIND THAT OUT ALREADY! GET THE FUCK OVER YOURSELVES! Oh wait, this says you went to Newbury Street on Saturday. Hmmm, maybe you LIKE SHOPPING. Is that EVEN POSSIBLE? IN AMERICA? IN BOSTON!? ...
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