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The average London resident is recorded 300 times a day on closed circuit television. And, at the rate it's going, it won't be long before the typical New Yorker is also a CCTV star of this magnitude.

In his latest effort to blanket the Big Apple in electronic surveillance from all angles, Mike Bloomberg just announced plans to expend the vast network of security cameras that already cover lower Manhattan up to Midtown.

The mayor claims the main reason for doing this is to prevent terrorism -- and he's probably being completely sincere. But we all know the cameras will continue to roll even when they're not trained on dastardly looking dudes holding pocket cameras or weapons of mass destruction.

In fact, it's fairly inevitable that the giant collection of eyes that watches over London and, increasingly, New York will be soon be aiding law enforcement in a city or town near you. (If it isn't already.) Does this make you feel safe, or does it make you suspicious?


Bring it on, I have nothing to hide.

-- Nobody has a right to privacy in public places, and the only people who should fear these new initiatives are those who plan to do wrong. In fact, if you're a law-abiding citizen, CCTV can ensure you're not falsely accused of a crime.

-- Between the Facebook and the Twitter and the texting we are weaning an entire generation to believe that life isn't worth living unless at least somebody else knows what they are doing at all times. So maybe, secure in the knowledge that the eyes of Big Brother will always be upon them, the kiddies will finally feel comfortable giving their nimble fingers a rest as they walk our streets.

-- Having CCTV everywhere means you can play practical jokes on the poor schmucks who have to sit in a room watching the never-ending show. Like in this video from London, where pranksters dress up in a eight-foot alien suit, and have all sorts of police and security guards rush in to investigate.


This is how it all starts.

-- Yeah sure, they'll never use the cameras to do to something like ticket you for briefly parking illegally as you make a quick run into the store. Just like, 20 years ago, most folks would have said they'd never ban smoking in bars.

-- So far, there isn't definitive evidence that CCTV lowers crime rates. And it could even eventually discourage the type of boots-on-the-ground police presence that does prevent crime. (To get to this point, here's an article about a man in England who was beaten to death as he walked through a park, in full view of two closed circuit cameras. If, instead, there had been a police officer in the general area, he'd probably be alive.)

-- Fine, this might finally be what convinces the terrorists to abandon any plans to attack our homeland, and instead return to their caves were they belong. Unfortunately, they may soon have nuclear missiles in those caves.