People coming into town from the West end may have noticed a new addition to their commute this week: there are surveillance cameras mounted at Paget traffic lights. It appears that they are also equipped for night vision.
Government must state clearly what these cameras are being used for, who has access to the data (in particular and in aggregate), and how long it will be stored.
The “Electronic Vehicle Registration Act 2007″ enabled their use to clamp down on people not licensing their cars properly. I am not aware of any law authorizing them for broader surveillance. But, this news snippet from the Sun makes me wonder if we don’t have mission creep:
In a trial run in July, two fixed CCTV cameras were used to monitor traffic flow and record vehicle numbers over the Cup Match weekend. During a press conference at the time, Police Commissioner Michael DeSilva said the trial would help police to determine the extent of their future usage. He said the cameras were a “new tool” for Bermuda but stressed they would not invade privacy as footage would only be used for “the investigation of crime”.
Let me know if you spot other surveillance equipment on the streets.
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