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Voyeur TV

July 8, 2002

Surveillance vs. Civil Liberties

While Candid Camera drew audience laughter in the ’60s and ’70s, programs like Real World, COPS, Survivor 1 through 4, Temptation Island, Fear Factor, and Celebrity Fear Factor make me doubt that even Allen Funt could have predicted the impact voyeur TV would have on audiences everywhere.Reality TV in its purest form is closed-circuit television (CCTV) – the stuff that gets recorded by security cameras. The majority of it doesn’t sell because in the real world people have jobs, kids, bills, and a life. Watching the real world can all too often be like watching paint dry. Nonetheless, voyeurism in terms of surveillance and security is paramount to the safety of tenants and property. Having reliable systems in place and trained professionals to monitor and review these tapes is a beneficial value-added item in any commercial building.The challenge is wading through the unbelievable list of features and added options that these systems offer – tilt and pan, zoom, digital vs. analog storage, network-based remote surveillance, multiplexers. The list goes on and on. There are, however, a variety of sources that can help building owners and facilities executives winnow down the selection process.Online suppliers offer great tips on evaluating tenant CCTV security needs based on probability of incidence or such existing structural liabilities as lighting, access control, visual barriers, and implemented security procedures. There is an assortment of reputable websites that also offer information pertaining to onsite, as well as remote security personnel. Perhaps one of the best enhancements to CCTV has been the arrival of digit surveillance. Capturing images digitally allows views to pan, zoom, and focus in on images after an event has been recorded, as easily as if it were happening live. Digit storage also allows more that a single camera image to be projected onto a single monitor screen. Screens can be split into four, eight, or more high-resolution images – pictures so clear that users are able to zoom in and focus on even the smallest elements of a room or personal effect.It’s important to remember that no one wants to see themselves on television in a less-than-flattering situation. Protecting our right to privacy these days is a sensitive topic. It is essential to remember there are laws and regulations governing how and where surveillance cameras can be used. Rights to Privacy, as mandated by the Federal government, protects tenants from being video-taped in certain areas of buildings and from certain vantage points.As for my television viewing habits, I’m afraid that Nielsen would be very disappointed. I am totally a news junkie 24/7 – any network, any time of the day or night. Not voyeur television like COPS or Caught On Tape, but legitimate news. In other words, I listen to NPR – a lot.Clara M.W. Vangen was formerly technologies editor at Buildings magazine.