CCTV is there to stop, or at least record, crime. Yet it appears that 90% of the CCTV cameras in Britain may well be breaking the law themselves. This is due to breaking the Data Protection Act and, in some cases, the Human Rights Act, according to CameraWatch:
"A new national advisory body for the industry, CameraWatch, which has the backing of the police and the Information Commissioner’s Office, claimed yesterday that the vast majority of CCTV is used incorrectly and could potentially be inadmissable in court...It's not a good thing that a lawyer "could drive a horse and cart" through most CCTV evidence.
“Our research shows that up to 90 per cent of CCTV installations fail to comply with the Information Commissioner’s UK CCTV code of practice, and many installations are operated illegally. That has profound implications for the reputation of the CCTV and camera surveillance industry and all concerned with it." (The Times)
I don't like the profusion of CCTV cameras across the country, especially when they want to give the cameras speakers and microphones as well, but since the cameras are there, they should at least be able to catch and convict any criminals they record!
As the CCTV cameras are there, they should at least do their jobs properly and be admissible in court as evidence. Otherwise they have no positive role at all.
Source: The Times
