CCTV industry welcomes report into ‘surveillance society’

The British Security Industry Association has welcomed a report from the Home Affairs Select Committee into whether the UK has developed into a ‘surveillance society’.

Pauline Norstrom, BSIA CCTV Section Chairman, comments: “We welcome the findings of this wide-ranging report which confirms the fact that the UK should not be regarded as a surveillance society. The report acknowledges the support of both the police and the public for CCTV and the role it plays in reducing fear of crime and investigating offences. We believe that examples such as CCTV's contribution to the recent Tonbridge convictions and to the investigation of the London bombings demonstrate the effectiveness of the technology."

"As an industry we have long taken our responsibilities seriously with regard to the protection of individuals’ privacy which is preserved through legislation such as the Data Protection and Human Rights Acts and by continued legislative consultation as CCTV technologies become more sophisticated. The BSIA itself has produced a guide to privacy masking designed to offer guidance to the industry and users of systems on protecting the privacy of the public.”

"The CCTV industry is fully prepared not only to develop new technologies, but also to consider the effects that such technologies may have on the privacy of the public and to review current legislation and guidelines accordingly. We will work with the Government and other agencies in our role on the National CCTV Strategy Programme Board with respect to any further safeguards to be developed on the use of CCTV. We will ensure that the technology can still be used effectively in crime prevention and detection whilst also protecting the privacy of the public."

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