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Press Release: New Threat to Privacy from Overhead Cameras

By 7th November 2019No Comments

Highways England is said to be trialling cameras that look down from above to spy on car occupants, on the pretext of detecting mobile phone use.  The ABD, whilst supporting the need to curb hand held phone use, calls for an immediate review of this practice on privacy grounds.

ABD Spokesman Nigel Humphries explains:

“From the pictures shown in the Daily Mail report (Reference 1 below), it appears the cameras already on trial look directly down into the cockpit with a clear view of both drivers’ and passengers’ crotches.  Not everybody is careful about the standard of their attire or positioning of their hands below the dashboard when travelling, and why should they be?  They don’t expect a camera to be pointing at their nether regions in the privacy of their car and even children will be filmed. There is a need to crack down on hand held phone use but this is plain wrong. We question whether the requirements for Surveillance Cameras that monitor public areas have been met (See Reference 2). Will the photographic evidence be automatically sent with the Intended Notice of Prosecution (NIP)?

Press Release: New Threat to Privacy from Overhead Cameras

How Highways England chiefs can think this is acceptable beggars belief.

(1)  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7637497/Now-offence-TOUCH-phone-driving.html

(2) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/surveillance-camera-code-of-practice

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