CameraWatch celebrates third year in operation

The UK - A Surveillance Society? - “Most CCTV Fails the DPA Compliance Test”

The UK - A Surveillance Society?  -  "Most  CCTV Fails the DPA Compliance Test"
More Non-Compliant CCTV systems in the UK than ever before
As CameraWatch - the UK's Watchdog on CCTV Compliance with the Data Protection Act -  moves into its 3rd Year of operation, progress has been made to harness all industry CCTV operatives to improve Standards and Quality in the CCTV industry, but not enough to stop CCTV being bought into disrepute on a daily basis.
The Chief Executive and Founding Chairman, Gordon Ferrie says, "There is never a day goes by when you read in the media of the misuse of CCTV systems. Our initial 2006 research showed that up to 90% of CCTV installations fail to comply with the Information Commissioner's UK CCTV Code of Practice and many installations are operated illegally has been proved to be correct. Our figures have been substantiated by the Home Office / ACPO report in 2007 and very recently in an Eire report.  Two years on we are still faced with inefficient and non compliant CCTV Systems. Although much work has been done there are still many organisations out there who still fail on many fronts towards achieving a fully compliant CCTV system. That has profound implications for the reputation of the CCTV and camera surveillance industry and all concerned with it.  The public are bearing the brunt of this and without doubt it will lead to in-effective prosecutions and infringements of Human Rights"
Paul Mackie, CameraWatch's Compliance Directors says "Our most recent field studies in the Education Sector are very disturbing.  Instead of improving figures in some areas there are issues of 100% non compliance.  We are working with the Home Office, the UK and Scottish Governments, the Information Commissioner's Office, and the Association of Chief Police Officers in both England and Wales and in Scotland to try and improve matters all round but everyone acknowledges this is minefield.  It has been going on too long for easy rectification. It is like the Titanic charging down on the iceberg. A collision is inevitable and that can only bring CCTV, that 3rd Forensic science, in disrepute. To lose public confidence would be a disaster.  CCTV is a terrific tool if used and managed correctly and in accordance with the law: too many organisations don't understand - or simply ignore - their legal obligations. CameraWatch has the key to avoid prosecution: understand the Data Protection Act and how its relates to CCTV and you wont go far wrong - we can then all have confidence in CCTV"
Ferrie says, "I'm not surprised there's confusion. It's a complex area not just covering appropriate siting and signage issues, but also various pieces of legislation. In particular, the Data Protection Act covers images of people and requires they are held securely if the data is to be used as legal and admissible evidence. Storing images of people is also impacted by the EU Human Rights Act.  As things stand today, clever legal counsel will make mincemeat of most Non Compliant CCTV evidence and that is not in anybody's best interests. All the images collected - people's personal information - must be managed correctly and lawfully"
"It is no less than shameful" continues Mackie "the disregard that the UK shows for personal data. Even outwith the issues of CCTV, the number of times we hear of lost disks, lost laptops, missing pen drives, hard disks purchased second-hand with personal information still on them, bank statements found in sacks, old hospital records in disused hospital grounds etc…the list is endless. We need to tackle this situation head-on and Camerawatch is there to raise the standards for CCTV systems and ensure that the public can totally rely on the benefits of CCTV"
Ferrie closes "Non Compliant DPA CCTV systems will bring the CCTV industry into disrepute if businesses continue to fail to get their surveillance responsibilities wrong. Failure might also mean repercussions for the specific organisation, damage their reputation, as well as corrupt public confidence in surveillance systems."
CameraWatch is a not for profit company limited by guarantee, founded in May 2007 with the aim of raising awareness of CCTV compliance issues and helping all those connected with CCTV to improve DPA compliance. To this end, CameraWatch has run research into some 4,000 systems to back-up its claim that over 90% of CCTV installations are non-compliant. It is current carrying out field studies in the Education sector in England. It has run six Forums with expert speakers and closed debates with industry leaders seeking views on compliance.
The next Camerawatch Forum is on Tuesday 27 October 2009 in Edinburgh sponsored by RBS.  Mini forums are currently planned UK wide, Eire and Belgium
CameraWatch 2nd Anniversary Press Release 2009

More Non-Compliant CCTV systems in the UK than ever before

As CameraWatch - the UK's Watchdog on CCTV Compliance with the Data Protection Act -  moves into its 3rd Year of operation, progress has been made to harness all industry CCTV operatives to improve Standards and Quality in the CCTV industry, but not enough to stop CCTV being bought into disrepute on a daily basis.

The Chief Executive and Founding Chairman, Gordon Ferrie says, "There is never a day goes by when you read in the media of the misuse of CCTV systems. Our initial 2006 research showed that up to 90% of CCTV installations fail to comply with the Information Commissioner's UK CCTV Code of Practice and many installations are operated illegally has been proved to be correct. Our figures have been substantiated by the Home Office / ACPO report in 2007 and very recently in an Eire report.  Two years on we are still faced with inefficient and non compliant CCTV Systems. Although much work has been done there are still many organisations out there who still fail on many fronts towards achieving a fully compliant CCTV system. That has profound implications for the reputation of the CCTV and camera surveillance industry and all concerned with it.  The public are bearing the brunt of this and without doubt it will lead to in-effective prosecutions and infringements of Human Rights"

Paul Mackie, CameraWatch's Compliance Directors says "Our most recent field studies in the Education Sector are very disturbing.  Instead of improving figures in some areas there are issues of 100% non compliance.  We are working with the Home Office, the UK and Scottish Governments, the Information Commissioner's Office, and the Association of Chief Police Officers in both England and Wales and in Scotland to try and improve matters all round but everyone acknowledges this is minefield.  It has been going on too long for easy rectification. It is like the Titanic charging down on the iceberg. A collision is inevitable and that can only bring CCTV, that 3rd Forensic science, in disrepute. To lose public confidence would be a disaster.  CCTV is a terrific tool if used and managed correctly and in accordance with the law: too many organisations don't understand - or simply ignore - their legal obligations. CameraWatch has the key to avoid prosecution: understand the Data Protection Act and how its relates to CCTV and you wont go far wrong - we can then all have confidence in CCTV"

Ferrie says, "I'm not surprised there's confusion. It's a complex area not just covering appropriate siting and signage issues, but also various pieces of legislation. In particular, the Data Protection Act covers images of people and requires they are held securely if the data is to be used as legal and admissible evidence. Storing images of people is also impacted by the EU Human Rights Act.  As things stand today, clever legal counsel will make mincemeat of most Non Compliant CCTV evidence and that is not in anybody's best interests. All the images collected - people's personal information - must be managed correctly and lawfully"

"It is no less than shameful" continues Mackie "the disregard that the UK shows for personal data. Even outwith the issues of CCTV, the number of times we hear of lost disks, lost laptops, missing pen drives, hard disks purchased second-hand with personal information still on them, bank statements found in sacks, old hospital records in disused hospital grounds etc…the list is endless. We need to tackle this situation head-on and Camerawatch is there to raise the standards for CCTV systems and ensure that the public can totally rely on the benefits of CCTV"

Ferrie closes "Non Compliant DPA CCTV systems will bring the CCTV industry into disrepute if businesses continue to fail to get their surveillance responsibilities wrong. Failure might also mean repercussions for the specific organisation, damage their reputation, as well as corrupt public confidence in surveillance systems."

CameraWatch is a not for profit company limited by guarantee, founded in May 2007 with the aim of raising awareness of CCTV compliance issues and helping all those connected with CCTV to improve DPA compliance. To this end, CameraWatch has run research into some 4,000 systems to back-up its claim that over 90% of CCTV installations are non-compliant. It is current carrying out field studies in the Education sector in England. It has run six Forums with expert speakers and closed debates with industry leaders seeking views on compliance.

The next Camerawatch Forum is on Tuesday 27 October 2009 in Edinburgh sponsored by RBS.  Mini forums are currently planned UK wide, Eire and Belgium.




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