[clue-talk] surveillance cameras

[Nate Duehr]

rex evans wrote:
> I have noticed increasing use of cameras and
> I think their ability to see details will also
> increase.
> 
> Surveillance at work place started with a
> few cameras in critical areas, for example
> to provide external view entry/exits, loading dock.
> 
> More cameras in parking lots for security from
> muggers,
> rapists, kidnappers. 
> 
> Some personal items got stolen at work, so that was
> an excuse to put cameras in all hallways.

Retailers typically have more cameras in the employee areas than in the 
customer areas.  Fact.  (WalMart started this trend in the 90's.)

> At one telephone company, I noticed an audible click
> when I neared one of the exits. It was some sort of
> alert Sensor, that could only be heard on a quiet day.
> Of course there were cameras at every exit also.

Most of these are to disable an electric/magnetic strike plate on the 
door, so you can open it.  But they could be used for other purposes, 
like capturing a still image from a near-by video camera as well as 
operating the door.

> In this same company, I became friends with a security
> guard. 
> His previous job was in the company's "listening
> room";
> they could and did monitor phone lines; their
> favorites
> were conference room phones. 

Anything and everything is "monitorable" by an employer, pretty much.

> In one cubical, they installed a clock with hidden 
> camera, because they had a computer (server) in the
> cubical. 

Sure.  Recently a new trend with desktop video conferencing products has 
been for people to hunt for ones that have been placed on public IP 
addresses and to use the "far-end controls" to pan and zoom the camera 
around, remote snooping.  People forget that turning these features on 
is a security liability... whiteboards, other people's laptop screens, 
all sorts of "possibly interesting" things are usually in view of 
desktop videoconferencing cameras... with the popularity of glass walled 
conference rooms, the nice shiny new HD-capable conferencing boxes have 
the ability to really "reach out and see someone".

> In future, insurance companies may require that each
> building must have surveillance of all internal areas
> and parking lots.

Perhaps.  Surveilance is only as good as the people actually doing the 
surveilance, and some companies choose to just record cameras but NOT 
take on the liability of stating that they "monitor" them, for fear that 
they'd be sued if someone were hurt in full view of a camera, and the 
operator was distracted, dozing, whatever.

So there's a natural economic "force" already starting to "push back" on 
some of this.

> I just heard Peter Boyles on radio say that Denver
> Police are video recording at the entrance to 
> motorcycle events. These are mainstream events, not
> some Hell's Angels gatherings.

Papers, please.  Do you have a pass to attend this gathering, citizen?

Nate