Seriously thoughtful Civilians in UK to be monitored by drones

[kaas]

after seeing the following story online: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle6999840.ece

I must admit to being a bit nervous. Where will it end?

Welcome to 1984

kaas

[HarryT]

Don't see the problem myself. The uses to which they're talking about putting it sound to be those for which police helicopters are currently used. Presumably these will be a cheaper alternative.

[kaas]

If the UK uses helicopters for "routine monitoring" already, than I feel sorry for you. What will be next - a camera in each appartment for checking whether any crimes are being comitted at home?

This is of course only my opinion, but I am quite a bit worried with the developement...

have a great sunday,

kaas

[Javed]

The article doesn't say how the drones themselves will be monitored by the police. This is what concerns me more; if these are left unmonitored by people for any length of time and an accident occurs. I wonder if they are like radio control planes and remotely operated, or are pre-programmed. What elevation do the drones fly at? Perhaps satellite imagery would be safer, though of course less accurate and maneuverable.

The police would hope, of course, to find many traffic problems to send out many more fines. Is this about more revenues or traffic safety? Of course there could be things they will be using the drones for that they have not disclosed. Based on the information given, however, the concept to me isn't fully Orwellian....yet!

[HarryT]

I really can't imagine that these things would be left flying around uncontrolled - not in a country whose "airspace" is as crowded as that of the UK is. One would imagine that there is a "pilot" flying it by remote control.

[kaas]

Actually spiegel.de mentions the development of "sense and avoid" technologies which are considered a prequisite for the drones ( http://www.spiegel.de/panorama/gesel...673671,00.html ) and thus leads me to the conclusion that they will fly autonomously. They also mention that the drones shall be used for checking whether people correctly dispose of their trash!

[HarryT]

"Fly tipping" - illegal dumping, often of highly toxic chemicals, or dangerous materials like asbestos - is a major problem in some areas, and is already something that police helicopters are used to try to catch the criminals involved. I don't think anyone's talking about people wrongly disposing of "domestic" waste .

[Moejoe]

Originally Posted by HarryT

"Fly tipping" - illegal dumping, often of highly toxic chemicals, or dangerous materials like asbestos - is a major problem in some areas, and is already something that police helicopters are used to try to catch the criminals involved. I don't think anyone's talking about people wrongly disposing of "domestic" waste .

Excuses, and you know it. The police helicopter is used as a tool of fear, an audible reminder for you to 'stay in line'. In my neighborhood we hear it once or twice a night, followed soon after by the invasive and probing light, but then again my neighborhood is working class, and we all know in working class areas what the police are truly there for: to protect the rich from the poor. To keep us in line. These drones will be no different, only they'll be silent, so 'you'll always be good' and you'll never know if they're watching or not. Drones, carte blance on search and arrest, detainment for unreasonable amounts of time without charge, cessation of internet access without proof only accusation, torture of young men and women, how do I not invoke Godwin with what's happening in the UK right now? How do I not make the parallels that are so bloody obvious to everyone?

[HarryT]

Dear me. Do we live in the same country? I don't recognise it from your description.

[Moejoe]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Dear me. Do we live in the same country? I don't recognise it from your description.

Yeah, but then again, you're quite happy with torture and laws that cut people off the internet on accusation alone, as you've proven time and time again in the past. The country you live in, isn't my country anyway. The day your version of this country becomes mine, is the day I know I've lost...that we've all lost.

[HarryT]

Oh well, that's alright then. You had me worried there for a minute.

[Moejoe]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Oh well, that's alright then. You had me worried there for a minute.

Facetiousness doesn't cover up the fact that you're an advocate of torture and the erosion of civil liberties. I'm calling you out, HarryT, because nobody else seems willing to. I'm calling you out on your beliefs, because they sicken me and to not call you out is to be party to your beliefs and to abandon my own. I"m calling you out because the ghost of Orwell and every single struggle for human dignity lives in me and mine and I won't ever forget these words:

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing

I won't do nothing, HarryT. I won't hold my tongue or remove my fingers from the keys when I come across people like you, who, with a sentence advocate the destruction of liberty and cap it all of with a yellow smile. I wont do nothing because by doing something I run the risk of banishment. I'd rather never come back to this site ever again in my whole life than not confront your ideas.

I am the world I want to be.

[GeoffC]

It's nothing new - there is barely a street in a town/city that is not festooned with CCTV; tis just another avenue to keep watch on us............

[HarryT]

Moejoe, we obviously disagree, and I feel deeply sorry for you and how you perceive this world. I hope you can find happiness one day one way or the other.

That's it from me.

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Dear me. Do we live in the same country? I don't recognise it from your description.

Since we're on the topic of the UK turning into a police state, let me give you my top 4 reasons your country scares me:

1, police can stop and search anyone, for any reason, or even no reason at all;
2, you have vast numbers of cameras in your major metropolitan areas, and you keep adding more even though they do nothing to solve crimes;
3, more people keep being given uniforms and police powers but not training;
4, it's now common in your country to require a criminal background check of everyone who comes in contact with children, never mind the expense or the fact that most children molested are by a relative (not some complete stranger in a public place).