# How would 24 hour video surveillance compromise a person's civil rights? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 14, 2004, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-24-hour-video-surveillance-compromise-a-persons-civil-rights/234207 "2004-03-14T06:44:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ficer67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c57346/32.png) [@Ficer67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ficer67)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2004, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-24-hour-video-surveillance-compromise-a-persons-civil-rights/234207/1 "2004-03-14T06:44:59Z")
The title, does not say everything. It only allows 128 characters or something… How exactly would 24 hour video surveillance, in public areas, compromise a person’s civil liberties? For what it is worth, I am including a link to the US Constitution. ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2004, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-24-hour-video-surveillance-compromise-a-persons-civil-rights/234207/2 "2004-03-14T07:06:34Z")
I am not sure that it would. Except in an area where a person should have a “reasonable expectation of privacy” like a public bathroom or a dressing room. If you gave more facts I might be able to give you a better answer. ---
**Author:** ![Ficer67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c57346/32.png) [@Ficer67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ficer67)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2004, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-24-hour-video-surveillance-compromise-a-persons-civil-rights/234207/3 "2004-03-14T08:49:52Z")
Ok, ther first time it did not work, so I am trying again. Here is the link to the US constitution: [http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.billofrights.html](http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.billofrights.html) ---
**Author:** ![Ficer67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c57346/32.png) [@Ficer67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ficer67)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2004, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-24-hour-video-surveillance-compromise-a-persons-civil-rights/234207/4 "2004-03-14T08:57:07Z")
The purpose of placing cameras in public areas is to reduce crime and minimize liability. Interesting point. A person should not expect to be photographed while in a public restroom. Yet, if a law is passed that a city cannot photograph a person in a public restroom, then the public restrooms are going to be the next place that criminals are going to operate in. ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2004, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-24-hour-video-surveillance-compromise-a-persons-civil-rights/234207/5 "2004-03-14T09:11:48Z")
> [@Ficer67](#): > > The purpose of placing cameras in public areas is to reduce crime and minimize liability. > > Interesting point. A person should not expect to be photographed while in a public restroom. Yet, if a law is passed that a city cannot photograph a person in a public restroom, then the public restrooms are going to be the next place that criminals are going to operate in. Criminmals already operate in public restrooms. Does that mean you want the gavernment filmig you in the john? ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2004, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-24-hour-video-surveillance-compromise-a-persons-civil-rights/234207/6 "2004-03-14T09:15:48Z")
Osama Saddam WMD Chemical Carnivore Execute Imminent Bush. Is that totally nonsensical sentence considered worthy of a “reasonable search” in light of Amendment IV? What if I check in on the Olsen Twins’ legality? Less than thirteen weeks now… My hard drive is chugging away, no virus or ad-buster can find it, no active processes announce themselves when I give the three fingered salute, and I hated Full House and never watched it. So who’s watching me, and why? ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2004, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-24-hour-video-surveillance-compromise-a-persons-civil-rights/234207/7 "2004-03-14T15:07:34Z")
Is this a factual question or a debate? It reads more like a debate, so I’ll close this thread. If you have an opinion on the subject and want to defend it against those who may disagree with you, or if you want to know the reasoning behind opinions different from yours, then you may repost the question in the Great Debates forum. If you want the facts and nothing but the facts, you can start a new thread in GQ, but you must make it clear what you’re after. The facts in a question like this would be mostly dry references to case law and statues. bibliophage moderator GQ