# Is it technically and logistically feasible to watch everyone all of the time? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 13, 2015, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-technically-and-logistically-feasible-to-watch-everyone-all-of-the-time/722459 "2015-06-13T20:40:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-technically-and-logistically-feasible-to-watch-everyone-all-of-the-time/722459/21 "2015-06-15T18:42:39Z")
> [@Habeed](#): > > Labor force participation rate is 62%. The US labor force is around 155 million people. Also, I forgot that people can’t watch other people 24/7 so multiply my number by 3 to cover 3 8 hour shifts. That’s 105 million workers or 64% of the labor force doing nothing productive but watching people. And if you are going to use the sort of people who can “just do any job”, how effective do you think they will be? Not to mention that’s just the watchers. That doesn’t even cover technicians, middle management and administrative personal. The watchers alone are an order of magnitude larger than the nine largest employers in the world combined: United States Department of Defense 3.20 million Chinese People’s Liberation Army 2.30 million Walmart 2.20 million UK National Health Service 1.70 million China National Petroleum Corporation 1.60 million State Grid Corporation of China 1.50 million Indian Railways 1.40 million Indian Armed Forces 1.30 million Hon Hai Precision Industry (Foxconn) 1.20 million TOTAL 16.40 million ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-technically-and-logistically-feasible-to-watch-everyone-all-of-the-time/722459/22 "2015-06-15T19:21:04Z")
> [@Habeed](#): > > Actually, letting prying eyes see everything is kind of the point… No, you said the point was to prevent crime. You are willing to allow embarrassing information out for everyone even though it’s not illegal? You’re going to keep eliminate trade secrets, private negotiations, people trying to keep relationships away from prying eyes? If you want to eliminate privacy just say that. If you want to eliminate crime this scheme needs a whole lot of security. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-technically-and-logistically-feasible-to-watch-everyone-all-of-the-time/722459/23 "2015-06-16T11:44:45Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > No, you said the point was to prevent crime. You are willing to allow embarrassing information out for everyone even though it’s not illegal? You’re going to keep eliminate trade secrets, private negotiations, people trying to keep relationships away from prying eyes? > > If you want to eliminate privacy just say that. If you want to eliminate crime this scheme needs a whole lot of security. Hmmmm, looks like Telemark has something to hide. I never thought of him as a scofflaw. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-technically-and-logistically-feasible-to-watch-everyone-all-of-the-time/722459/24 "2015-06-16T11:55:21Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Hmmmm, looks like Telemark has something to hide. I never thought of him as a scofflaw. Telemark works in security software. I make money when people buy this stuff so I have a vested interested in making sure the government buys as much of it as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-technically-and-logistically-feasible-to-watch-everyone-all-of-the-time/722459/25 "2015-06-16T14:00:10Z")
When I come home at night I bold the door real tight People call me on the phone I’m trying to avoid But can people on TV see me Or am I just paranoid When I’m in the shower I’m afraid to wash my hair 'Cause I might open my eyes And find someone standing there People say I’m crazy Just a little touched But maybe showers remind me Of Psycho too much That’s why [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-technically-and-logistically-feasible-to-watch-everyone-all-of-the-time/722459.md?page=1)