Mass Surveillance: Who Watches The Watchers?

THE NUMBER OF closed-circuit television (CCTV) units installed by local authorities for public area surveillance has, in recent times, increased drastically. In Penang alone, more than 1,200 CCTV cameras have been installed for the purpose of public safety and traffic enforcement. Additionally, the City Council of Penang Island (MBPP) integrated facial recognition technology into its CCTV surveillance system. Although these may be effective in preventing crime and aiding police investigations, the main concern is whether they will quickly lead us down the path towards becoming a police state with pervasive mass surveillance.