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**fitnfree** · Aug 28, 2007, 11:00am

In the city I reside in there is a fire brewing regarding the use of webcams by a newly developed city tourism dept.

Follow this:
1. New tourism dept. switches server from the city servers to a private company (the tourism director's husband happens to work for said company!) Red flags go up all over the place for me...

2. Suddenly they announce an interest in adding web cams to select areas of the city.

3. They follow thru with this, first using active X controls. I put up a stink, exposed this to the public via a local forum I run, active X control is removed and Java is used in its place.

4. Webcam is now being used to monitor a specific section of the city by this tourism dept.

Now, before you get to thinking I'm just being paranoid, please consider my concerns. Firstly, I don't think a public webcam should be in the hands of a tourism dept. I think only police should be allowed to employ the use of webcams and only for potential crime.

We have several neighborhoods who have been fighting, begging and pleading for cameras in local parks where drugs, gangs and general crime is running rampant. They've been ignored. Our gangs in the last year have gone up from 27 to 41. We have very real concerns and would like to see cameras installed for use by law enforcement to monitor crime, not the average citizen looking to enjoy a day at our lake (that's where the current web cam is and another one is going to be added soon).

So basically what I'm asking is, am I correct to be concerned about this use of public webcams? Who wants to think they're being viewed by a tourism dept.? We also have a very corrupt mayor who pulled quite a few strings and broke the law by buying a vote to get this tourism dept. in the hands of the city instead of where it was, which was where it should be - a County Chamber of Commerce.

I'm totally open to your thoughts. This is becoming extremely troubling for me and many others in my community and I sincerely feel we have valid reasons, but would like the thoughts of those not directly involved -- who can merely view this from an objective angle, as I'm obviously very personally involved and affected. Thank you!!

Aug 28, 2007, 11:00am	Appropriate use of webcams??
fitnfree Member Posts: 48 Karma:	In the city I reside in there is a fire brewing regarding the use of webcams by a newly developed city tourism dept. Follow this: 1. New tourism dept. switches server from the city servers to a private company (the tourism director's husband happens to work for said company!) Red flags go up all over the place for me... 2. Suddenly they announce an interest in adding web cams to select areas of the city. 3. They follow thru with this, first using active X controls. I put up a stink, exposed this to the public via a local forum I run, active X control is removed and Java is used in its place. 4. Webcam is now being used to monitor a specific section of the city by this tourism dept. Now, before you get to thinking I'm just being paranoid, please consider my concerns. Firstly, I don't think a public webcam should be in the hands of a tourism dept. I think only police should be allowed to employ the use of webcams and only for potential crime. We have several neighborhoods who have been fighting, begging and pleading for cameras in local parks where drugs, gangs and general crime is running rampant. They've been ignored. Our gangs in the last year have gone up from 27 to 41. We have very real concerns and would like to see cameras installed for use by law enforcement to monitor crime, not the average citizen looking to enjoy a day at our lake (that's where the current web cam is and another one is going to be added soon). So basically what I'm asking is, am I correct to be concerned about this use of public webcams? Who wants to think they're being viewed by a tourism dept.? We also have a very corrupt mayor who pulled quite a few strings and broke the law by buying a vote to get this tourism dept. in the hands of the city instead of where it was, which was where it should be - a County Chamber of Commerce. I'm totally open to your thoughts. This is becoming extremely troubling for me and many others in my community and I sincerely feel we have valid reasons, but would like the thoughts of those not directly involved -- who can merely view this from an objective angle, as I'm obviously very personally involved and affected. Thank you!! __________________