Stirling Professor Publishes England, Wales Surveillance Strategy

Stirling University’s William Webster, director of the Center for Research into Information, Surveillance and Privacy, has established a national surveillance camera strategy for England and Wales.

"Britain has more surveillance cameras than any other country in the world,” Webster said. “Their growing prevalence raises critical questions about whether we can be confident that all these cameras are being used in a way the public would approve of — and, if not, whether regulation can force operators into line. The publication of the strategy demonstrates that there will be more concerted efforts to govern how closed-circuit television (CCTV) is used in the future as we try to keep up with changes in technology.”

The strategy encourages best practice in how organizations use cameras, such as standardized technical requirements to ensure footage is of sufficient quality for use as evidence in court, as well as training requirements and expected practices for camera operators, so that the public has confidence in how the systems are used. It stresses compliance with the law, especially in relation to data processing, and promotes public engagement activities to promote greater understanding of CCTV use.