The streets and parts and sidewalks of London are home to some 800,000 closed circuit TV cameras, a huge number of which are mounted on walls of public buildings. The cameras capture the comings and goings of vast numbers of people, scarcely any of whom feel that the cameras constitute an intrusion on their privacy. The general feeling is, “We’re out in public, we’re behaving normally, we’re assuming that we’re being observed by many other individuals–what difference does it make if we are also being seen on camera?” A very common-sensical conclusion, even if my inner civil libertarian remains uneasy.
But what’s fascinating, and weird, is that the when the tables are turned, and the buildings are being photographed, there is great anxiety, at least among the security officers representing the companies that own or take space in the buildings. This video was created earlier this summer, when the London Street Photography Festival assigned six photographers to shoot various locations in the city–all on public ground. But as you can see from this video, which was shot by videographers accompanying the photographers, all six shooters drew the attention of private security guards. In three cases, police were summoned, although in each case, the police sided with the photographers. None of them bought the idea that security was being compromised. Another small victory for common sense.
But it’s odd, isn’t it? Apparently people can be observed and filmed, but in the minds of corporate security, not even the edifices that house the corporations, which are in plain view 24 hours a day, cannot be photographed. It does show that at least in the minds of the corporations, they are a state unto themselves.