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Gamers to use real security cameras to spy for the cops photo

I'm not sure if this is manipulative, scary, brilliant, hilarious, or all three. A brand new PC game called "Internet Eyes" will allow players to view thousands of CCTV cameras around the United Kingdom and essentially act as a snitch, reporting any crimes they discover. The most successful rat will win £1,000.

Every time a player finds something suspicious, they click their mouse. The camera operator will then receive an SMS message along with a snapshot of the naughty activity. 

"I wanted to combine the serious business of stopping crime with the incentive of winning money," said Internet Eyes mastermind Tony Morgan. "We've had a lot of interest from local businesses and hope to roll it out nationwide and then worldwide."

The Web-based "game" will launch next month in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, with a site that also includes a criminal Hall-of-Fame. The "snooper's paradise" will rent cameras to businesses around the country for £20 a week, meaning that not only will the police force have ordinary citizens doing their job for them, they'll make a bit of cash on the side. It's quite a genius scheme, really. 

 


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62 comments | showing # 1 to 50

Jon B's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 15:06
Jon B
All done anonymously over the web.
God bless you internet.


And in tomorrow's news: The premiere of Death Race UK. Except this one's real.
wanderingpixel's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 15:07
wanderingpixel
This could either be extremely useful or a complete disaster.
Naim Master's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 15:09
Naim Master
Genious.
JohnnyMavric's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 15:09
JohnnyMavric
That's actually really cool. The only problem would be that criminals also could use this to their advantage by scoping out buildings and then robbing them. But it is pretty cool.
Your Moms Hot Lover's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 15:10
Your Moms Hot Lover
I'm glad I no longer commit crimes in Stratford. What will the kids do? Really?
SilversunFrenzy's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 15:11
SilversunFrenzy
There's no way this wont backfire.
Elsa's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 15:13
Elsa
Wish they had that in Canada. My husband manages two large office towers in our downtown core (he maintains the mechanical/life/safety systems, DDC and oversees construction)... and it's amazing what people do in the middle of downtown late at night on camera. There are signs posted that there is video surveillance but girls will still yank down their pants and take a shit, and guys will regularly take a piss because the office tower is just down the street from a nightclub and I guess these people are just too drunk to use a bathroom at the McDonald's across the road. This isn't "illegal" per say... but I keep telling him he should utube this stuff and maybe it would stop some of them (and help out the cleaning crew who have to clean up the mess in the mornings).

Hookers ply their trade - right there in the open, and it's not at all unusual to see drug deals.

People should realize that there are cameras everywhere.
Niero's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 15:13
Niero
I can see it now: 2 poor losers stage a minor crime, post bail with 500, profit?
Sentry's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 15:15
Sentry
Huh.
MkShiranui's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 15:18
MkShiranui
Well, it's been proven that a lighted window will deter crime even if there's no one in it, so this just might work even if it's not profitable. Still, weird, and I'm saying that as a technology-obsessed American.
Jon B's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 15:22
Jon B
...or this is the first stage towards a bounty system, a la Cowboy Bebop.
Except without the spaceships and other cool stuff. Sadface.
PhazonYoshi's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 15:22
PhazonYoshi
"Dude, let's rob that store!"
"No way, there might actually be somebody behind that camera!"
MkShiranui's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 15:23
MkShiranui
And surprisingly, criminals actually think that way.
AllHailShake's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 15:28
AllHailShake
So if I see a crime and choose not to report it, am I an accessory to the crime?
Kefka's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 15:30
Kefka
Terrible idea.

Combine troops have entered the base! Combine troops have entered the ----!"
cove's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 15:32
cove
"Staatssicherheit" anyone?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stasi
JulianProxy's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 15:33
JulianProxy
The whole CCTV in the UK idea has scared me greatly as an uninformed American. Is it really so bad? Personally, I would consider tracking everywhere that I go to be in invasion of privacy, and I really don't have anything to hide, either. Am I just overly paranoid or is it implemented such that my fears are irrational? Just curious.
Cartman's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 15:34
Cartman
Now we need only combine this with scribblenaut technology.
Drakengard's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 15:36
Drakengard
This is BAD. This is the start of 1984 right here. Putting people against people. "If you see someone doing something bad. Report it to us!" All it ends up doing is conditioning people to beomce snitches in society. Yeah, we should all want to do good...but this will NOT bode well for what it will conditoin our soceities to become.
Anjo's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 15:39
Anjo
"...manipulative, scary, brilliant, hilarious, or all three."

All four?
Stigmeyer's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 15:44
Stigmeyer
I agree with Drakengard about how bad this is. This is what governments have done for so long now--pitting their citizenry against itself. They pit rich against poor, black against white, pretty against ugly, educated against uneducated, blue collar against white collar, etc etc etc. It is despicable behavior but the system has worked so well and for so long that it is hardly even noticed anymore and that's the really scary part.
dip's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 15:45
dip
"This is BAD. This is the start of 1984 right here. Putting people against people. "If you see someone doing something bad. Report it to us!" All it ends up doing is conditioning people to beomce snitches in society. Yeah, we shouldall want to do good...but this will NOT bode well for what it will conditoin our soceities to become."

Can you elaborate as to why you think this is so bad? I'm not saying it is or isn't, I'm just trying to figure out where you're coming from. I see problems with the system but not because it will "condition people to become snitches".
Cupcakes's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 15:46
Cupcakes
This is probably the worst thing I've ever heard. It's like a privately funded East Germany secret police. How long until it's used to root out class enemies?
Gigantorama's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 15:48
Gigantorama
Nintendo seems to have forgotten the old adage and now Internet Eyes seems to be going down the same path of ruin:

SNITCHES DIE QUICK.

Nuff Said.

Check out my gaming blog!
http://gaminggoodies.blogspot.com/
TheToiletDuck's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 15:50
TheToiletDuck
Xtube is going to get an influx of secret exhibitionist footage :)
Static Jak's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 15:51
Static Jak
Imagine using this on a Saturday night? Actually that's pretty sad in its own right.
TheBigFeel's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 15:51
TheBigFeel
Yeah, there's no way this won't get flooded with false clicks after people watch 30 minutes to footage and realize they haven't made any money yet: "Fuck this shit! click click click click click"
socialnorms's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 15:58
socialnorms
SNITCHEZ MUST DIE
socialnorms's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 16:00
socialnorms
That philosophy is the dumbest kind of shit I can imagine. Put away the hip hop, kids. If you're playing video games and commenting on destructoid, your lifestyle isn't so dangerous that you have to ally against the police.

Justice can't exist without the testimony of witnesses, kids.
Palidi's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 16:05
Palidi
Oooh, can I play too!? I don't even care about the prize money, I just wanna make some teh cameras move around some, creep some people out by making the cameras all follow them.
GuitarAtomik's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 16:11
GuitarAtomik
Am I the only one who saw that picture and automatically thought this:

Polo Guy's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 16:14
Polo Guy
I can see this as good and bad. I'd wanna try it out regardless, but I can see people trying to sensationalize their crimes using this, as well as using false reports as diversions from real crimes. Bank Heist style.
Lil Jorsche's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 16:18
Lil Jorsche
@GuitarAtomik

No, but now my sides hurt from laughing.
Everyday Legend's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 16:24
Everyday Legend
Score one for online douchery.
Cartman's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 16:25
Cartman
@Guitar

A screen from Mickeys new game perhaps?
kingtobo's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 16:26
kingtobo
Ultimately I think this will benefit them, but only if they deter spam clicks with mandatory signups and bans for people repeatedly spamming the system.
Happymeowmeow's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 16:39
Happymeowmeow
Fuck, thats horrible. Sounds like the plot of a bad science fiction novel. Except something would go awry in a morbidly interesting way. Like some serial killer would use the cameras to stalk his victims. "They were meant to keep us safe...but instead they kept us MURDERED!!!!" Bum bum bum!
Xzyliac's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 17:03
Xzyliac
This sounds like it could set the stage for a modern day take on the scheme they pulled in The Good, The Bad , and The Ugly. Do a petty crime, have your buddy bail you out with the reward money, pocket what is left (assuming there's any left). It's a stretch but someone will try it.
Holyetheline's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 17:23
Holyetheline
This is freakin' brilliant... but I can definitely see where things could also go terribly wrong.
Zantetsuken's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 17:48
Zantetsuken
Orwell is spinning in his grave right now. This is wrong on so many levels.


Any excuse to clamp down on what little liberty we have left in England.
zanthox's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 17:51
zanthox
or all 3? you mean or all 4?
I go with all four, this is genius.
Rain Justice's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 18:18
Rain Justice
Worst. Idea. Ever.

I'd kinda like to buy drugs in peace, thanks.
Qraze's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 18:22
Qraze
this is very bad.
not good.
not good at all.
Dexter345's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 18:46
Dexter345
This is a really great idea, I'd say.
Dr Strangelove's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 19:01
Dr Strangelove
It's like a boot stepping on a human face - forever!
edwardwcross's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 19:09
edwardwcross
Citizens spying on other citizens for the police and then being rewarded for it is a hallmark sign that you are living in a police state...Doing the police's work for them is also a bad thing. And the potential for serious abuse is apparent with this "game." Public safety isn't a game you keep where you keep score and gain points. I weep a little for the folks that fall victim to this. People are going to abuse the hell out of it.
ace of knaves's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 19:29
ace of knaves
Nothing can possibly go wrong.
DGX Goggles's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 19:36
DGX Goggles
Murphy's Law coming to mind here....
Mr Kite's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 19:38
Mr Kite
very cool or very scary, I guess we'll have to wait and see.
Quantum Zombie's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 20:41
Quantum Zombie
How to troll the British Police:
1) Find a proxy. Any proxy will do.
2) Boot up "Internet Eyes".
3) *click*
4) *click*
5) *click*
6) Repeat steps 3-5 as fast as possible for as long as possible
7) Imagine looks on the cops' faces as their phones beep -constantly-
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