How has the public reacted to public video surveillance in Canada and elsewhere?
Focus groups have found that the Canadian public is generally accepting of video surveillance. However, organizations representing youth and other marginalized groups have expressed concern about the potential for video surveillance being used to “socially cleanse” areas. Canadian businesses, on the other hand, have been highly supportive of such systems. In the UK, similarly, public opinion of public video surveillance is broadly positive, although surveys have found that the public’s perception that it is effective is often based on inaccurate knowledge of the capabilities of CCTV. As well, the British public have expressed a concern that such surveillance should not be over-done.
