sorry i've offended anyone wasn't my intention at all... just had a *lot* of bad experiences with swansea police... and really, honestly, can't think of a single good one, in fact, currently, I am still trying to get compensation out of them... very long story. Can't go into it for obvious reasons, but yeah, suffice to say, every single one I've met is horrendous.

again, sorry for offending people I didn't mean to.

xx

...and my point about surveillance and snooping is raised today as a news item following a report saying just that.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7872425.stm

and now


Full story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7877182.stm

It's all scary stuff! What next - tracking who we make friends with? Oh I forgot they already do that for some people!

I am not bothered about being watched. I do nothing illegal so whats the problem?

Well most of us don't, but for some of us it's principle. We are already the most snooped on and legislated population in the world. Gradually more and more privacy and liberties are being eroded, new laws and systems are implemented and being joined up, and all under the banner of 'the government protecting you against terrior and crime'.'If you haven't done anything wrong no need to worry about it...'

...and it's the abuse and carelessness of the data and information and the fact that later down the line they move the guarantees and goalposts about the information collected. It does concern me.

All that information in the wrong hands could be miss-used - and we all know that governments are not great when it comes to protecting sensitive data!

And let's not forget all the laws passed that we have not agreed with - what if they want to use the data in the future, in some way we don't agree? But we're not in a position to do much about it because they have almost everything in place (the bits they're getting in now) will we regret it then? You bet!

It's also about basic human rights - your right to privacy and go about your day to day life without being treated like a criminal (your every move monitored, your phone calls bugged, your computer activity watched, where you travel, who you make friends with, your DNA kept in a huge database etc etc etc).

It's already worrying how you can't protest in certain areas now, add to that you can't take photos at protests either thanks to this new law, all a very good way to control and minimise the effects of dissident. It's almost as if they know something is going to happen where people are going to very very unhappy.

Very worrying.

Having working in the MOD both serving & latterly as a civilian; I can tell you that the 'Gov & it's agencies' know more about you then you think they do. Yes - they also use the internet to gather intelligence on individual's too.

Referring back to photography and photographers rights....

BFP acts to protect photographers' rights

As more than 200 MPs put their signatures to Austin Mitchell’s Early Day Motion condemning police harassment of photographers in public places, the Bureau of Freelance Photographers (BFP) launches a major initiative in an attempt to tackle the problem on the ground.

As part of its campaign for photographers’ rights, every UK member is being issued with the BFP “Blue Card” – a card that asserts photographers’ rights to take pictures in public places. The card may help members who find themselves being stopped from taking pictures in public places. In such circumstances, the Bureau feels that members may find it useful to show the card to the particular police officer, security guard or other official. The card is written in simple language; it is short and to the point and has been legally validated. It is small enough to be slipped into a camera bag or pocket.

But will it work? Will the card have the desired effect? BFP chief executive John Tracy says: “With the increasing number of photographers – both amateur and professional – being stopped by police officers from legitimately taking pictures, we felt we had to do something. We have written to the police, we have lobbied MPs, but ultimately, whether a photographer is prevented from taking pictures, is down to the individual officer on the ground. We feel that the card, if used with tact and discretion, may have the desired effect of emphasising to an officer the fact that photography in public places is a legitimate and, in 99 cases out of 100, legal activity.”

The organisation is asking members to “report back on their experiences of using the card – whether positive or negative”. John Tracy adds: “We will report on these experiences through the Newsletter and if the majority of members find that the card does help, all well and good. If, on the other hand, the majority find it doesn’t work, or even exacerbates the situation, we will report that too. “But personally, I don’t think the latter will be the case. I think it’s more likely that, in some circumstances, members will find the card helpful and, in other circumstances, they won’t.”

Meanwhile, the BFP campaign continues. We hope to be part of a delegation being put together by Austin Mitchell to see Home Office minister Tony McNulty to urge that clear instructions be issued “to make it clear that there is a right to take photographs in public places”.

I havent seen the wording but would like to. Although on the whole the police do a great job, there are many zealots in blue (and security staff) who abuse their position in uniform.

Well I also have a perspective on this and would not trust this country and how it treats an individual any more than a country such as China, Russia, Zimbabwe or whichever police state you wish to name. In fact I would trust them more as their systems are more primitive and less 'joined up and integrated' and they don't try and create any illusion you have any rights.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7893890.stm

Now when the ex-head of MI5 also has something to say about it... you can't just think it is the usual civil rights renta a crowd that have issue with it.