Video cameras and you. Where do you draw the line?

[an annoyed writer]

When the cameras have a clearly defined purpose and are marked (DON'T STEAL FROM OUR STORE, WE HAVE CAMS WATCHING), I'm fine with them. When it's some random bloke trying to be all "smart" by being unnecessarily creepy and in your face while recording you to see what your reaction is, then it's time to revoke the camera. At least then the camera would be put to better use in my case (my film crew needs new cameras damnit!).

 

[Geo Da Sponge]

snip

Like you said, there are a lot of obvious differences between the guy holding the camera and a surveillance camera, but I don't think this video serves to highlight how people feel about surveillance cameras vs someone with a camera. The problem is, most people would probably still react the same way even if this guy didn't have a video camera on him. If someone stops, sits next to you, and just stares at you, you're going to be a bit alarmed and wonder why they are doing what they are doing. If that person doesn't stop, and follows you to a certain extent, you're going to be more alarmed, and that's how these people reacted. Cameras are far more passive than another person actively choosing to look at you, and aren't capable of anything beyond taking film. This isn't a social experiment, nor does it have any social implications. It's just someone harassing other people.

This pretty much sums it up perfectly, for me. Or to quote one of the top rated comments on the video:

It is an interesting experiment in psychology but it proves very little. We accept government and private surveillance because we trust professionals to be responsible about how they use the footage they obtain.  We don't trust a random anonymous person on the street because we don't have any idea how that footage is being used and there is zero accountability if it misused.

 

[Jolly Co-operator]

The reason I'm okay with a place like Wal-Mart watching me with security cameras is because I'm on that Wal-Mart's property, near the Wal-Mart's merchandise. They have a perfectly fine reason to be watching for potential thieves. When random people on the street do it, however, I tend to get rather annoyed. I can't really articulate why it annoys me so much, I guess it's just too much of a primal feeling for me to put into words properly. But yeah, it still annoys me.

Captcha: I HAVE FALLEN. Rise Captcha, Rise! The people of Gotham (and The Escapist) need you!

 

[Something Amyss]

[security cameras are in place for a reason

Not always, and not always for good reason at that. That borders on the "only people with nothing to hide will be bothered" mentality that is so common with police states.

and having a random stranger record you without your permission (I realize you don't need it) is just plain rude and annoying.

There are far more rude things one can do every day that are socially accepted.

Myself? I'm ambivalent. I see someone doing this, I'll probably have fun with it.

I'm just curious, though. How do you feel about camera phones all around that could get pictures of you at any time? Is it only a problem if a guy does it overtly?

Also, "this is America." lol. Yes, this is America. Which does not give you the right to tell someone to stop filming. I love it when people have no idea what their freedoms actually entail.

(Some states do ban this sort of recording, but it is not an American "right.")

 

[Something Amyss]

I can't really articulate why it annoys me so much, I guess it's just too much of a primal feeling for me to put into words properly.

Alternatively, perhaps there isn't a reason to verbalise and you simply have no real grounds to be angry.

I'm just saying: if you can't defend your point of view rationally, maybe it's not worth defending.

 

[DudeistBelieve]

This is a stupid video. I wonder if the guy even has any permissions to post videos of these people on the internet.

I don't know, the whole "experiment" just rustles my johnnies

http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/249/843/7e8.jpg

Depends on the state, but if he's out in public I don't believe he needs permission as one has no expectation of privacy when they're in public space.

 

[LittleThestral]

I work in a parking deck, third shift. One of the decks I monitor is secluded, and so people seem to think they won't be noticed if they tailgate out of the gates or exit through the entrance right after another car gets into the deck.

There's one video that I so, so, SO wish I could release online. The plate isn't shown, the driver isn't shown, no one would have to know who the idiot is, and it's fucking hilarious. The idiot (I think it turned out to be a guy) thought he'd sneak out the entry gate right after someone came in, so he guns it. He can't drive for shit, though, so he hits the curb hard, then bounces back onto the lane hard, and the gate arm breaks over the top of his car. He tries to back up, his car lurching awkwardly, and further breaks the gate arm, before finally lurching out the entry and coming to a stop. He ended up paying for the tow, the fine for the broken gate arm, his car's repairs (and it was a luxury car, too), AND still had to pay for his exit pass. It was great.

If I released that video, though, my ass would be fired so fast my head would spin. And frankly, that's the way it should be. I don't want random videos of me (or my car, at least if it's identifiable) released online without my knowledge and consent, so it's only right to not do it to others.

I do wish we could put signs up warning people that videos of them doing stupid shit will be posted online to embarrass them, though. It'd be great to be able to share those videos with my friends and family and show them what I have to deal with several times a week.

 

[Jolly Co-operator]

I can't really articulate why it annoys me so much, I guess it's just too much of a primal feeling for me to put into words properly.

Alternatively, perhaps there isn't a reason to verbalise and you simply have no real grounds to be angry.

I'm just saying: if you can't defend your point of view rationally, maybe it's not worth defending.

Fair enough, but I wasn't trying to defend my stance on cameras. The title of the thread asked where I draw the line, and that's what I stated. I agree, my dislike of being filmed by random strangers is irrational, and probably not justified, and I never tried to say that it was. I stated that those feelings (which I wouldn't go so far as to call "anger"; more like annoyance with a bit of curiosity) existed, not that they were in any way justifiable.

 

[Dags90]

If I released that video, though, my ass would be fired so fast my head would spin. And frankly, that's the way it should be. I don't want random videos of me (or my car, at least if it's identifiable) released online without my knowledge and consent, so it's only right to not do it to others.

Right, but lets say you knew going in that you wanted more out of life than watching security cameras all day. It's just to get you through your degree (hypothetically). So you simply sit on your pile of funny videos until you get a "real" job with your degree. After you're in your real job you release the videos to the interbutts all at once.

 

[DugMachine]

I'm just curious, though. How do you feel about camera phones all around that could get pictures of you at any time? Is it only a problem if a guy does it overtly?

Exactly right. I don't mind being filmed by security cameras that are there to just watch merchandise or I accidentally end up in a photo in the background. What I don't like are photos/videos with the intent on recording me.

Like I said above, it may be irrational but I fucking hate being filmed because of my own insecurities, not because I have something to hide. This guy is just being a huge doucher after several people (who asked quite nicely) if he would stop recording and he acted as if he couldn't speak. Rude and annoying.

If I were in this position I wouldn't get angry, I'd probably just walk away but I wouldn't be surprised if this guy has been socked in the face a few times already.

 

[LittleThestral]

If I released that video, though, my ass would be fired so fast my head would spin. And frankly, that's the way it should be. I don't want random videos of me (or my car, at least if it's identifiable) released online without my knowledge and consent, so it's only right to not do it to others.

Right, but lets say you knew going in that you wanted more out of life than watching security cameras all day. It's just to get you through your degree (hypothetically). So you simply sit on your pile of funny videos until you get a "real" job with your degree. After you're in your real job you release the videos to the interbutts all at once.

Ha. No. My old boss could still find out, you know, and there goes a solid reference.

Plus there's, you know, STILL the fact that it's a dickish thing to do without at least warning the idiots first.

 

[Dags90]

Ha. No. My old boss could still find out, you know, and there goes a solid reference.

Plus there's, you know, STILL the fact that it's a dickish thing to do without at least warning the idiots first.

Once you start a professional career, you generally don't give unrelated references. Just like you stop putting your high school GPA on your resume after you start college. When you're looking for your second job as an accountant (as an example), you don't put "loss prevention" on your resume and you don't give those people out as references.

 

[Strazdas]

I hate anyone filming me. i would stand under the security camera in such a way that it couldn't see me intentionally.
However i realize that security cameras are necessity. whole city should be covered by camera grid for crime prevention. it is much mure effective than 911 calls.
i dont have a camera, and i dont want to have one. however id love to be able to record everything my eyes see for proof of court. that would make lieing based on reputation so much harder. Personally i think if you do nothing wrong you should not worry about somone filming you. and somone going around with a camera wouldnt even raise my brow. (oh wait i cnat say that, brows are copyrighted now)

 

[Something Amyss]

Exactly right. I don't mind being filmed by security cameras that are there to just watch merchandise or I accidentally end up in a photo in the background. What I don't like are photos/videos with the intent on recording me.

But I didn't say accidental. I asked if you being recorded was only a problem when it was overt. You know how easily I (a hypothetical I, not a threat) could film you surreptitiously if I so pleased?

Like I said above, it may be irrational but I fucking hate being filmed because of my own insecurities, not because I have something to hide. This guy is just being a huge doucher after several people (who asked quite nicely) if he would stop recording and he acted as if he couldn't speak. Rude and annoying.

Yes, it is irrational.

If I were in this position I wouldn't get angry, I'd probably just walk away but I wouldn't be surprised if this guy has been socked in the face a few times already.

Which, of course, actually is a crime.

 

[Something Amyss]

it is much mure effective than 911 calls.

Any evidence of that, or just specious reasoning?

The number of cities who have cameras seem to indicate otherwise.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

Cameras on a street. Alright. If I get murdered, maybe it'll bring my family justice. Putting cameras in the washroom or in my own home and now we've got issues. That's where I draw the line.

Honestly, if nothing happens I'm sure the footage is just deleted after two weeks or a similar period. I'm not suspicious enough to think that people dressed in black suits are plotting behind my back watching me get out of my car and enter my workplace.

 

[DugMachine]

Yes, it is irrational.

Yes I know. I've said it twice already

 

[BeerTent]

I don't know what the laws are in the U.S, but if you tried that north of the border, just take a picture of him and he'd have a very, very heavy fine on him. Especially the beginning of the video, where security explains that no, he cannot take a video of the receptionist's desk from outside.

I understand the point he's making, but he's essentially bringing common sense to light. The cameras in an office have to be handled a certain way. Joe-Blow's video can appear anywhere. The security videos you see on the internet are leaked, and people have been fired for them, just as buddy has indicated would happen on the first page.

 

[Valdus]

Well in Britian I've seen police turn down cam footage of criminals wearing hoods, pretty much ruining the point of cams like that in the first place. They only catch criminals without hoods...you know, idiots, the kind of people who would probably be caught quickly anyway.