Big Brother IS Watching You

From the Mail On-Line 28th December 2008

News today of schools bugging classrooms for pupils as young as four is revealed today and is further evidence that today's society is in the grips of the CCTV style, Big Brother 1984 syndrome.

The system, comprising of a video and microphone, can be used while lessons are taking place and can provide courtroom evidence of disruptive pupils, bullying and anything else that schools want to use it for.

Is this legal surveillance? The data protection watchdog, the Information Commissioner has warned that surveillance may be illegal and has demanded to know why schools are using this kind of sophisticated equipment to watch children. 'Proper justification is being sought from schools as to why this equipment is being used'.

Whether this is state sponsored bugging or just some over zealous, misplaced, money-minded sales-person selling the equipment to schools under the banner of security, it is the continuance of this very long wedge - spying on citizens of the UK.

It is only a step away from new buildings being built and installed, or retro fitted, with discrete surveillance equipment to spy on us.

If this equipment was being used in areas of 'high security' at entrance gates and doorways, this would be a different story, but in the classroom and 'private areas, hearing and seeing what anyone is saying is totally unacceptable and an intrusion to civil liberties.

Big Brother is certainly here, but how far will labours ex-communist politicians allow this to go? (Once a communist always a communist, the saying goes!!)