I think you are justified to be concerned.

I also think cameras deter crime...but at the same time they open up a huge debate as to what will be done with the footage and who will be pointing the cameras.

America is moving more and more to the use of these things, while the EU has been sticking them just about everywhere and have gotten use to them for the most part. The word here in my part of the U.S. is that we will forget about them once they are in. Our town has just started adding them to a few bridges to show if a accident has happened - but not too much more. These cameras are monitored by the Highway Patrol and not the tourist counsel.

Our town has been rocked by the occasional story about cameras being mis-used in stores, restaurants and public bathrooms that certainly get you thinking about camera abuse. And just about any dress/skirt that is shorter than 4" above the knees came be *upskirted* (completely) by store security cameras!

And the Google cams that display city streets have been under fire for the same reasons that you bring up.

The next concern with your situation is if they put the footage on the tourist counsel's website, which would then bring the world into your neighborhood. This is a bad idea to me. If a bad guy can see a potential victim's house and figure out where they live...this is a very unsafe situation, from my thinking.

I would stay on top of this matter and dig around and find out as much as possible. You are smart to question the use of cams in today's world.

James