Is This Really A Good Idea?

Building big brother infrastructure

This is the YouTube Headline:

Georgia Senate passes Law Enforcement Strategic Support Act

Started watching and Georgia’s Lieutenant Governor Jeff Duncan mentions that this law enjoyed bipartisan support and was passed in a unanimous vote. That’s wonderful news, right? Warring parties got together and agreed wholeheartedly and voted to make it happen!

Hold on! Okay, to be sure, there seems to be plenty in this law that are positive steps: re-funding the police, providing for better training, funding co-responder programs… but I’m just not sure about the network of 4500+ cameras installed around Atlanta. Connect Atlanta it’s called, and this network will allow officers to pull up footage on their cell phones or laptops from inside their squad car before they arrive on scene.

I get it- it’s a neat idea. Give law enforcement more information to better prepare them for what they are walking into, allow for a measured and correct response, a safe response.

Except… 4500+ cameras installed around the city. Forget for a moment the cost to implement and maintain this endeavor. Forget, even, about the glee with which hackers…