How is it possible that the land of Orwell and "1984" permits this kind of surveillance?

[MsAmerica]

I just find this so hard to believe. Yes, it's the way things are heading, but can't believe there aren't more objections.

London police are taking surveillance to a whole new level, to start using facial recognition to spot criminal suspects*
By Adam Satariano
London’s police department said Friday that it would begin using facial recognition to spot criminal suspects with video cameras as they walk the streets, adopting a level of surveillance that is rare outside China.

www.nytimes.com/2020/01/24/business/london-police-facial-recognition.html

www.chicagotribune.com/nation-world/ct-nw-nyt-london-facial-recognition-surveillance-20200124-dbgm2lc2ezcx5i5vssh35jkvam-story.html

Who gave these "civil liberty" organisations the right to speak for me.

Yeah, bunch of interfering bastards, who do they think they are? The government always knows what's best for us so they should be allowed to just get on with it.

I think we established in another thread that hardly anyone thinks the police want to deal with crime. So it's not like they will be using it to catch burglars, and when the police commit crimes CCTV tapes mysteriously disappear anyway (or if someone inconvenient commits suicide)

I'm torn on the whole thing - along with ID cards. Both would be a small price to pay for safety, but a high one if only used against the population and not for it.

So the problem is not the tool, but those wielding it.

There's also the question of where do you stop with these things. Wouldn't it be useful to link in cameras inside places like libraries, Doctor's waiting rooms and so on?
And really if you added a microphone (and only accessed recordings when it was REALLY IMPORTANT) wouldn't that be better still....

ExEUCitizen "how would we know if we were living in North Korea?" I gather that they are required to say and think things they don't believe to avoid getting a visit from the police.. ah just like here then.

The reason we get accurate, clear pictures of the moon is they are taken from space, no atmospheric interference, the computers at NASA that clean up wobble are somewhat more powerful than the CCTV hardware, NASA uses very expensive lenses.

We have been conditioned for some time OP, and this is a good test of how easily society conforms.
Big Brother has been here for a long time now, but the worker bees are happy to be governed like this, and of course have their rights taken away for nice fat pay cheque.
just keep working for the new state which we have become.

I suppose all those complaining will also refuse to accept cookies on any web sites they visit, will eschew the use of mobile phones because they can track your movements for commercial purposes, and certainly won't use the biggest of all Big Brothers: Facebook

I couldn’t give a shit about facial recognition. I’d rather be safe

!950s - shhh! big brother is listening

2020 - het Alexa got a recipe for fondue

Reminds me of my visit to China in 2014. Got picked up by one of our employees at about 11.30 pm from Hangzhou airport. Roads very quiet but many bright flashes from overhead gantry's at road junctions.

'What are all these flashes - are we speeding or something?'

'No - they just like to know who is around at this time of night'.

Some people might think that is ok.

I don't.