We can trust the authorities with new surveillance powers

They have proven how sensitive they can be to privacy issues.

Curiously, in the UK police seem to have an aversion to having themselves watched -- who watches the watchers! See the story from EPhotozine below:

Lord Carlile says photography of the police is allowed

Photographers have a right to take photographs - Lord Carlile addresses concerns with stop and search powers in his annual report.

"It is inexcusable for police officers ever to use this provision (section 58A) to interfere with the rights of individuals to take photographs," said  Lord Carlile.

 

In his annual report, Lord Carlile addressed Section 58A of the Terrorism Act. On page 39 of the report Lord Carlile said: "A number of professional and amateur photographers have approached me to complain that this provision is being used to threaten them with prosecution if they take photographs of police officers on duty. In one case a correspondent informed me that a police officer used the section to force him to delete from his camera a photograph of a police officer on traffic duty, in circumstances in which the member of the public had a legitimate reason for taking the photograph in connection with his own impending traffic case."

 

He continued: "It should be emphasised that photography of the police by the media or amateurs remains as legitimate as before, unless the photograph is likely to be of use to a terrorist. This is a high bar...The police must adjust to the undoubted fact that the scrutiny of them by members of the public is at least proportional to any increase in police powers – given the ubiquity of photograph and video enabled mobile phones. Police officers who use force or threaten force in this context run the real risk of being prosecuted themselves for one or more of several possible criminal and disciplinary offences."




James Morton
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