Forget the spy balloons, worry about the Chinese cameras over our heads, surveillance watchdog warns
Daily MailNov 25, 2022
The Facts
The UK has installed its first artificial intelligence (AI)-based, free-standing camera system and has caught nearly 300 drivers breaking the law within the first 72 hours of its installation.
Installed on a busy stretch of the A30 near Launceston, Cornwall in Devon, the state-of-the-art surveillance system uses AI technology to identify drivers committing infractions and refer them to authorities. All detected violations are then reviewed by a human to determine whether an offense had occurred.
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
Just when you thought mass surveillance couldn’t become more Orwellian, Big Brother steps up his game. The proliferation of AI technology always brought the potential to be misused by power-hungry governments, and the UK is providing another example of this dystopian overreach. The surveillance state already does enough creepy spying on its citizens, and it doesn't need to monitor everyone while they’re driving.
Pro-establishment narrative
With dozens of deaths and hundreds of severe injuries happening on the road last year in Cornwall and Devon, it's clear that the new AI camera system is needed to keep people safe. Last year’s trial caught more than 600 violations in 15 days, and the new system detected 300 in just three. The roads are a shared space for all, and people must be held accountable for actions that not only endanger their lives but could also harm others. This AI-assisted system enhances public safety.
