Who’s afraid of CCTV cameras?
We really should not kid ourselves. The privacy of citizens in this country is being violated on a daily basis on many levels and using various methods. In an ideal world, the state would be cracking down hard on these practices. Unfortunately, however, this is not happening at present. But the truth is that all forms of surveillance of personal data, whether conducted by private firms or state organizations, should be subject to severe punishment. At some point in time our judiciary authorities should take the initiative and display zero tolerance of such practices. In any case, the problem regarding the lack of protection of our personal data has not been created by closed-circuit television cameras. It is already long-established. The cameras are a threat to those who break the law: the usual suspects who fire missiles at foreign embassies and who threaten the lives and property of citizens, often during attacks in broad daylight in the center of Athens. These cameras can actually protect the citizen and the democratic state, as long as we ensure that what they record is handled responsibly. Here, we all agree, there must be some guarantees.
