Britain To Put CCTV Cameras Inside Private Homes
By Charlie Sorrel August 3, 2009
As an ex-Brit, I'm well aware of the authorities' or love snooping and surveillance, but even I, a pessimistic cynic, am amazed by the governments latest plan: to install Orwell's tele screens in 20.000 homes.
£ 400 million ($ 668 million) will be spent on installing and monitoring CCTV cameras in the homes of private citizens. Why? To make sure the kids are doing their homework, going to bed early and eating their vegetables. The scheme has, astonishingly, already been running 2.000 in family homes. The government's "Children's Secretary Ed Balls is behind the plan, which is aimed at problem, anti-social families. The idea is that, if a child has a more stable home life, he or she will be less likely to stray into crime and drugs.
It gets worse. The government is also maintaining a private army, incredibly not called "Thought Police", which will "be sent round to carry out home checks," according to the Sunday Express. And in a scheme which firmly Cements the nation's reputation as a "Nanny state", the kids and their families will be forced to sign "behavior contracts" which will set out parents' duties to ensure children behave and do their homework. "
And remember, this is the left-wing government. The Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling, batting for the Conservatives, thinks these plans are "too little, and too late," implying that even more obtrusive work needs to be done. Rumors that a new detention center, named Room 101, is being constructed inside the Ministry of Love are Unconfirmed.
UPDATE: Further research shows that the Express did not quite have all its facts straight. This scheme is active, and the numbers are fairly accurate (if estimated), but the mentions of actual cameras in people's homes are exaggerated. The truth is that the scheme can take the most trouble some families out of their homes and move them, temporarily, to a neutral, government-run compound. Here they will be under 24-hour supervision. CCTV cameras are not specifically mentioned, they are not denied, but 24-hour "supervision" certainly does not rule this out from the camera-loving British.
Other links:
Google Translate
Google Translate
By Charlie Sorrel August 3, 2009
As an ex-Brit, I'm well aware of the authorities' or love snooping and surveillance, but even I, a pessimistic cynic, am amazed by the governments latest plan: to install Orwell's tele screens in 20.000 homes.
£ 400 million ($ 668 million) will be spent on installing and monitoring CCTV cameras in the homes of private citizens. Why? To make sure the kids are doing their homework, going to bed early and eating their vegetables. The scheme has, astonishingly, already been running 2.000 in family homes. The government's "Children's Secretary Ed Balls is behind the plan, which is aimed at problem, anti-social families. The idea is that, if a child has a more stable home life, he or she will be less likely to stray into crime and drugs.
It gets worse. The government is also maintaining a private army, incredibly not called "Thought Police", which will "be sent round to carry out home checks," according to the Sunday Express. And in a scheme which firmly Cements the nation's reputation as a "Nanny state", the kids and their families will be forced to sign "behavior contracts" which will set out parents' duties to ensure children behave and do their homework. "
And remember, this is the left-wing government. The Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling, batting for the Conservatives, thinks these plans are "too little, and too late," implying that even more obtrusive work needs to be done. Rumors that a new detention center, named Room 101, is being constructed inside the Ministry of Love are Unconfirmed.
UPDATE: Further research shows that the Express did not quite have all its facts straight. This scheme is active, and the numbers are fairly accurate (if estimated), but the mentions of actual cameras in people's homes are exaggerated. The truth is that the scheme can take the most trouble some families out of their homes and move them, temporarily, to a neutral, government-run compound. Here they will be under 24-hour supervision. CCTV cameras are not specifically mentioned, they are not denied, but 24-hour "supervision" certainly does not rule this out from the camera-loving British.
Other links:
Google Translate
Google Translate