Chicago's Camera Network Is Everywhere 327
DesScorp writes "Over the past few years, the City of Chicago has installed video cameras all over the city. Now the Wall Street Journal reports that the city has not only installed its own cameras for law enforcement purposes, but with the aid of IBM, has built a network that possibly links thousands of video surveillance cameras all over Chicago. Possibly, because the city refuses to confirm just how many cameras are in the network. Critics say that Chicago is becoming the city of Big Brother. 'The city links the 1,500 cameras that police have placed in trouble spots with thousands more—police won't say how many—that have been installed by other government agencies and the private sector in city buses, businesses, public schools, subway stations, housing projects and elsewhere. Even home owners can contribute camera feeds. Rajiv Shah, an adjunct professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago who has studied the issue, estimates that 15,000 cameras have been connected in what the city calls Operation Virtual Shield, its fiber-optic video-network loop.' There are so many camera feeds coming in that police and officials can't monitor them all, but when alerted to a situation, can zoom in on the area affected. The ACLU has requested a total number of video feeds and cameras, but as of yet, this information has not been supplied."
How does this compare to London? (Score:3, Interesting)
London has had the status of having the most CCTVs per capita for ages. Does anyone have a comparison between the cities?
Re:Public Disclosure? (Score:4, Interesting)
I think there was a band in the UK which filmed a public performance that way. They just applied for the footage after the performance.
Re:How does this compare to London? (Score:3, Interesting)
Indeed. Not that it's had any discernible effect on crime rates [thisislondon.co.uk] in London.
In my humble opinion, the money wasted on video cameras would be better spent on health & education for the poor, incentivizing smart people to become police officers by paying them more, and vocational rehabilitation of offenders.
So (Score:3, Interesting)
People Tracking (Score:2, Interesting)
It's not just the street corner cameras and private cameras that are linked to the system, it also includes the red light traffic cameras, which are popping up everywhere.
I work for a utility company in Chicago and I attended a presentation about a year and a half ago where the Office of Emergency Management and Communication (OEMC) was bragging about what they can do with their camera network. They can already track a license plate from camera to camera throughout the city, and within the next year or so (if not already) they’ll be able to do the same with facial recognition.
Have you parked recently in front of the Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower) for more than a few minutes? If so, the OEMC is keeping an eye on your car.
Not tightly controlled (Score:3, Interesting)
I've actually been inside of the NOC where all of the camera feeds come in. There are random terminal sitting around that anyone with NOC access can just walk over and use. There is no log in, or they were already logged in and left logged in all the time.
The emergency response HQ in Chicago is just what you'd expect, full of arcane, insane, nonsensical rules and procedures that are so bad if you fell down the rabbit hole you'd be less confused.
There's no way having this much surveillance in the hands of the state should be acceptable unless all private citizens also have the same access. If, as Mr. Orozco stated, that all cameras are located in an area where the public has no expectation of privacy, then why shouldn't anyone in the world be able to see any camera at any time?
The whole city government in Chicago is nothing but a bunch of bottom feeding tax sucking bureauRats lying through their teeth on a daily basis.
I'm not quite sure what to say... (Score:1, Interesting)
As a resident of the city this is terrifying.
With a Mayor who basically bulldozed an airport in the middle of the night, who sells publics assets off with no notice, and who is about as crooked as you can get as well as a police force that has a brutal record of torture, harassment, and assholery, this is scary.
I admit to getting a red light camera ticket last night, but now not only could they do this but they could send tickets for all sorts of minor offenses. If I decide to do a U-turn? Ticket. I J-walk? Ticket. I pick my butt in public? Indecency! A ticket. I understand the desire to try and curb crime, but this is ridiculous. The crime will just move to other uncovered areas, which are currently the safe ones!
I just mentioned to my girlfriend that, despite my work being concentrated in Chicagoland, we might consider a move to another city in a couple years. The city budget is collapsing, the government is horribly backwards, hell the public transit can't even stay in business. Does the city want to squeeze even MORE people out of Cook County into the suburbs?
I suppose some people will view this as keeping them safe, but I worry that it will be used not only for that but to track people that King Daley doesn't like (in fact it's a guarantee).
This about seals it. It might just be time to pack up and go, as much as I love Chicago.
Rust... (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Smash em. (Score:3, Interesting)
You wouldn't want to run for US President, would you? :P
Seriously though, it's true. I think we were pretty good at other times in the past 200 years, but I really dislike the "Europe is where it's happening, why can't we make America more like [insert European country]?" Europe is why people CAME to America...
Not to say anything a European country does is automatically bad, of course. I guess the main push right now is socialism, which some European countries have *ahem* presumably *ahem* implemented with some success. But just because it is successful doesn't mean it's good. I don't think socialistic government is the way to go. However, that's just being a stick in the mud, I'm told.
Did the Brits call us sticks in the mud back in the 18th century, too? ;)
Re:Smash em. (Score:1, Interesting)
Racist? How so? If anything, we're called "un-American" for asserting our individuality. Isn't _that_ the height of irony?
The R's continually asked why we hated democracy, freedom and America, when we dared question Bush's strategy.
Re:Smash em. (Score:3, Interesting)
But socialist, capitalist or anything else, we all agree that corruption is bad.
Yup.
I also think that it seems easier to be corrupt in a socialistic system... or, perhaps, harder to get out.
Cleaning house sounds like a great idea. As far as the health care thing, the proposed health care "reform" is worse than the current, it would seem...
Powerful Technology (Score:1, Interesting)
A few months ago I toured Chicago's OEMC headquarters. The system automatically identifies threats such as a backpack sitting on the sidewalk more than a few minutes or abnormal vehicle or pedestrian movement. The cameras are linked on a dedicated fiber optic network. From my understanding, Chicago is the only city with an isolated purpose built fiber network for emergency and security work.
Re:In that case... (Score:3, Interesting)
Go ahead. The stalkers of the world will always have the upper hand as long as we try and keep this genie in the bottle. We need to make the technology a two-way street and get rid of the myth of privacy. I don't have a problem giving away my personal infomation as long as I know who has access to it and I'm able to get the same back in kind. Point a camera at my house, if you wish.... just as so long as I get to watch the live feed from yours.
Re:The real infringement on your rights... (Score:4, Interesting)
There is absolutely no difference between the two - you get shot either way and nobody gets punished either way.
Re:Smash em. (Score:2, Interesting)
How to Find Them All? (Score:4, Interesting)
How to find them all?
Easy.
1. Create a fake Google profile. Be sure to use several Tor proxies to make sure you can't be traced back, and LOG OUT OF YOUR CURRENT GOOGLE PROFILE!!! Make sure you continue to use Tor for the entire operation.
2. Go to maps.google.com
3. Click My Maps
4. Create new map, make it public.
5. Title: Chicago IP Surveillance Camera locations
6. Description: This map is to pinpoint the location of all video cameras being used in the city of Chicago. If you know of a camera that's being used to watch a public area, add the address to this map, along with a brief description of where it is, what its watching and what it looks like.
7. Click "collaborate"
8. Select "allow anyone to edit this map"
9. Publish the map
Done. Now just sit back and let John Q Public fill in all the little details.
You can also use Wikimapia, which is now moderated.
Re:That's what you get with corrupt democrats... (Score:2, Interesting)
What part of "the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed" is so difficult for people to understand?!?!?!
The part where their kid gets shot by someone bearing arms.
(mods, please note, I'm not arguing a point about the constitution, I'm answering a question. Even though it was probably meant to be rhetorical, the question has real answers)
Re:Smash em. (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Smash em. (Score:1, Interesting)
Also the longer that a corrupt system is used to redistribute wealth from poor to rich, the greater the risk of the masses rising up against the system. This is one of the reasons for "socialist" policies in Europe - as a response to the various historical situations where even governments were overthrown. The UK for all its failings has done particularly well in recent centuries in adapting to keep the populance happy, without requiring a toppling of government (although there have been some obvious failings, like losing their authority to govern Ireland, mainly through failure to reform). By contrast various European states have gone through several government systems.
The US is storing up trouble by not reforming, particularly with the age of the government systems (older than in many "old" countries).
Re:That's what you get with corrupt democrats... (Score:3, Interesting)