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"Who watches the watchers?" I hope you realize that does that one thing you question. Also, police encounters are generally in the public, where you shouldn't

by mkhalil 12y ago

"Who watches the watchers?" I hope you realize that does that one thing you question. Also, police encounters are generally in the public, where you shouldn't expect privacy in the first place. You can't ask for the right to film officers, then complain if they film you. Besides, most likely you're on camera anyway. So smile :)

thaumasiotes 12y ago
> You can't ask for the right to film officers, then complain if they film you. Sure you can. For example, it's commonly argued that there's a public interest in how police officers carry out their public duties. It's also commonly argued that the legal power differential (see: monopoly on use of force) between police and civilians justifies different restrictions on the police than on civilians. I actually agree that there's no problem with the police filming in public, but your argument is crazy.
- mkhalil 12y ago
  I agree that there is public interest in filming cops. But... Being under a camera all day isn't something that correlates with being a cop. No matter how much you want it to be. If you say "Hey cop, I'm going to film you all day. No, you can't film me back", that singles out the cop from the civlians. I don't know about you, but I wish my police felt more like civilians than paramilitary.
MadManE 12y ago
I do understand the problem in "watching the watchers". My point is that the solution should not be to add more of the thing that caused the problem in the first place. If we do, then it just becomes a race to who can have the most surveillance of the most people in the most places. Edit: Claiming "it's happening anyway, so just accept it" is the wrong way to approach this. Why shouldn't we try to make things better?
- seanflyon 12y ago
  We are trying to make things better and I think that police wearing cameras does in fact make things better. We are trying to consider both the negative and positive consequences of new technology. Also the problem these cameras are trying to solve is police brutality/abuse. Surveillance is not what caused that problem in the first place.
- mkhalil 12y ago
  If your complaining about being on camera in public spaces, that a whole separate issue. My opinion: It's more helpful than hurtful. The benefits far outweigh the cost. But that's a discussion for another day.

by mkhalil 12y ago

thaumasiotes 12y ago

> You can't ask for the right to film officers, then complain if they film you. Sure you can. For example, it's commonly argued that there's a public interest in how police officers carry out their public duties. It's also commonly argued that the legal power differential (see: monopoly on use of force) between police and civilians justifies different restrictions on the police than on civilians. I actually agree that there's no problem with the police filming in public, but your argument is crazy.

mkhalil 12y ago
I agree that there is public interest in filming cops. But... Being under a camera all day isn't something that correlates with being a cop. No matter how much you want it to be. If you say "Hey cop, I'm going to film you all day. No, you can't film me back", that singles out the cop from the civlians. I don't know about you, but I wish my police felt more like civilians than paramilitary.

MadManE 12y ago

I do understand the problem in "watching the watchers". My point is that the solution should not be to add more of the thing that caused the problem in the first place. If we do, then it just becomes a race to who can have the most surveillance of the most people in the most places. Edit: Claiming "it's happening anyway, so just accept it" is the wrong way to approach this. Why shouldn't we try to make things better?

seanflyon 12y ago
We are trying to make things better and I think that police wearing cameras does in fact make things better. We are trying to consider both the negative and positive consequences of new technology. Also the problem these cameras are trying to solve is police brutality/abuse. Surveillance is not what caused that problem in the first place.
mkhalil 12y ago
If your complaining about being on camera in public spaces, that a whole separate issue. My opinion: It's more helpful than hurtful. The benefits far outweigh the cost. But that's a discussion for another day.