this post was submitted on 10 Dec 2023
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Late Stage Capitalism
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Work in retail. The amount of cameras is downright dizzying. Sometimes more cameras than people.
it's funny how for a while there was the whole narrative about China being scary because they do mass surveillance, I notice western media has been largely avoiding mentioning surveillance lately
I've heard them talk about it a lot. It's always in the context of government surveillance. They make sure to point out that the bad guy countries have mass surveillance run by the government. When private corporations are watching people's every move it's just freedom in action.
I've always found this extremely funny because we know for a fact that all western companies share their data with western governments. So, the only actual difference is that this data is also sold to any private interests willing to pay for it. Looking at it from this perspective, you have far more data privacy in China than you do in the west.
Exactly. And it's the same thing when they fearmonger about Chinese companies like TenCent. Sure, tiktok may or may not collect data (same as every other company) but I'd be a hell of a lot more worried about a US based company or a local company using that data maliciously. Even if I did say the magic anti-china copypasta spell, it's not like China's government would have any ability to do anything about it. Whereas if I said things that the US government considered threatening, I could very well have cops knocking on my door, what with my country being a US vassal and all.
Right, the government people should be worried about is the one that has agency over them.
Well, it's mostly private surveillance so it's ok. Muh property rights and all that.
Thing bad when gubment does it. Thing good when corporation does it!
Incidentally, they freely provide that footage to the government if asked.
Not entirely, its usually seen as a massive liability, so many corporations and business are hostile to investigators or requests for footage, especially if the crime or incident doesn't relate the company. Most footage has to be seized through warrants or subpoenas.
Same where I am, we do not comply for any requests for footage or guest information (hospitality industry) unless we have a warrant. Even with one, we will explicitly only hand over what is specifically requested.
We also keep records of foreign guest passport details. In case you ever wondered what happens to that information when you stay at a hotel, it is stored on a secure server and I am literally the only person at the property with access to that data, and would never hand it over without a very explicit warrant.
Doesn't stop the cops from asking, but we always refuse. You won't stay in business long as a hotel that doesn't at least try to protect guest privacy.
I will say I work in a very dangerous or crime-heavy location, so we have to deal with cops a LOT. An obscene amount. There is a rather arduous process involved... store management needs to be there to grant access, a warrant is required, etc.
That's right as long as it's private companies collecting the data and then selling it to the government then it's just wholesome surveillance capitalism.
Honestly, at this point the only China/USSR bad talking pointthat comes to mind that I haven't also found in the USA is bread lines... in no small part because the government here doesn't care if you starve. If you want help jump through the hoops and be used as part of scarry statistics to demonize the poor.
They exist but the US does a pretty good job of hiding it
oh bread lines are very much a thing in US https://www.motherjones.com/food/2020/04/these-photos-show-the-staggering-food-bank-lines-across-america/
I've worked with people in asset protection in retail. You would be surprised how many of the cameras are fake, or are there for show. Only entrances, exits, and highly important areas are usually covered.
I got a write-up for sitting on an SCO machine for all of 2 minutes when it was a ghost town in the store. Got called into the manager's office and they showed me the footage.
It was surreal. Creepy as fuck. A reminder: we're watching you.
Sometimes I stand around and look at the cameras, point at them even. I'm watching, too.