ABSTRACT
In Autumn 1996, live video pictures of a Conservative cabinet minister's house were posted on the Internet, so that a potential audience of millions could monitor his movements to and from his house. This is a graphic illustration of how video surveillance is weaving into every aspect of our lives. An army of electronic eyes, controlled by a wide range of public and private organisations, monitor widening portions of our cities, with evermore advanced and capable surveillance technologies (including infra-red illumination, remote microphones, 'smart' event detection, and computerised links with databases). As a result, citizens are under their gaze during much of their daily routines, leaving a continuous stream of 'electronic images' or 'digital personas' on a range of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) systems as they go about their daily lives.
