Jeremy Wickins

Sheffield

Hoping common-sense will prevail.

Simple solution - no surveillance without a court oversight. In general, court order needed for any surveillance. Exceptional fast-track for serious crimes only, but with regular judicial oversight of continuing need. Serious personal and institutional penalties for breach of these requirements. Absolutely no short cuts for non-police/intelligence bodies - case must be made, and judge to ensure that privacy is the default, only to be breached in exceptional need. This to apply to all surveillance that affects the general public, thus including local and national government-run CCTV schemes, such as roads and town centres, and probably including privately run roadside cameras such as Trafficmaster. Anyone else that wants to put CCTV cameras anywhere that the public goes (shops, public transport, pubs, etc) must have a licence which requires adherence with DP and privacy laws, and a minimum standard for data retention/data security, with serious financial and personal liberty penalties for breach.

It isn't rocket science - it just needs political will.