Yeah, I know about traffic cams. Those are highly visible, usually mounted at the very top of a light pole at an intersection. And they are aimed at vehicle lanes because, as you said, they are used for managing and monitoring traffic flow.
This camera is way, way different. This is a camera apparently built into the underside of an ordinary city light. This is built specifically to surveil people, not vehicles. That's a whole world of difference. Imagine them replacing the regular streetlight with a camera light outside a business? They now have a record of everyone who patronizes it. In fact, it looks like this camera was specifically to monitor that particular business. I'm very curious what it was.
I know privacy in a public space is nearly impossible... but this is really focused monitoring and I don't think the average citizen would want to see this program expanded to the point that EVERY streetlight was also a camera. But again, how would you know unless you think to check every one?
Yeah, I know about traffic cams. Those are highly visible, usually mounted at the very top of a light pole at an intersection. And they are aimed at vehicle lanes because, as you said, they are used for managing and monitoring traffic flow.
This camera is way, way different. This is a camera apparently built into the underside of an ordinary city light. This is built specifically to surveil people, not vehicles. That's a whole world of difference. Imagine them replacing the regular streetlight with a camera light outside a business? They now have a record of everyone who patronizes it. In fact, it looks like this camera was specifically to monitor that particular business. I'm very curious what it was.
I know privacy in a public space is nearly impossible... but this is really focused monitoring and I don't think the average citizen would want to see this program expanded to the point that EVERY streetlight was also a camera. But again, how would you know unless you think to check every one?