Eerily Reminiscent of 1984
Posted by Charles on April 21, 2007
“We watch over you for your security” - These would be the words that would be written in three airships flying over the city of Caracus soon.
According to the BBC news report dated 20th April, the airships are each installed with a camera that transmits images back to a central control room.
Considered one of the most dangerous cities in Latin America, specifically pertaining to gun crimes, UN claims that there were more deaths per capita last year from guns in Caracus than anywhere else in the world.
The US State Department website also stated that it “has one of the highest per-capita murder rates in the world” and that “armed robberies take place in broad daylight throughout the city, including areas generally presumed safe and frequented by tourists.” The website also identified kidnapping as a serious problem with more than 1,000 reported during 2006 alone.
One can easily argue that this is an open and shut case of Big Brother. On the other hand, the effectiveness of police using “watching over you” devices as a crime deterrence may not work once the criminals devise ways to escape being tracked down or monitored.
