back to article Video vigilante site emerges from legal battles

Internet Eyes, a controversial service that invites web users to provide low-cost monitoring of CCTV cameras in exchange for prizes, will finally launch next week. Following claims last year that its plans were illegal, the start-up firm now says it has satisfied privacy regulators that it will comply with the Data Protection …

COMMENTS

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  1. Olafthemighty
    Go

    £1.50 for 60 hours, you say?

    Tempting - that's not far off what I get for sitting in an office all day. At least I could do it in my pants without getting ejected from the premises..

  2. Colin Millar

    Compulsory reading needed

    The Machine Stops

    1. Bill Neal
      Big Brother

      1984

      Obvious choice. citizens watching citizens. What is next, an internet service for children to report suspicious behavior of parents?

      1. John Gamble
        Big Brother

        Not To Mention

        “To Surveil, With Love", a Simpsons episode.

        For that matter, Fahrenheit 451 has a scene near the end where the authorities have everyone step outside and look for a fleeing Guy Montag. If Bradbury were writing that today, they'd be looking at their personal house cameras.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Oxymoron

    "provide Internet Eyes with live feeds of their CCTV cameras over the internet"

    If the feed is broadcast over the internet, it's not CCTV is it.

    What's wrong with "security cameras"? Lacking acronym-ness? I propose OCTV.

  4. Natalie Gritpants
    WTF?

    Get back £1.50 for 60 hours

    How does that fit in with the minimum wage?

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Five finger discount, here I come.

    I'm signing up for the camera in the electrical dept. at my local supermarket, Monday afternoons. Then I'm off for a clear run of shoplifting at only £12.99 a year.

    Buzzin!

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Thumb Up

      Er no.

      That's £25.98 a year as you'll need to sign up a mate so that they can have "two pairs of eyes on each camera".

  6. Geoff Campbell Silver badge
    Unhappy

    I am, for once, at a complete loss for words.

    No, really, I am. Where on earth do you start with this?

    GJC

  7. N2

    Minimum wage?

    "60 hours spent watching CCTV feeds each month will recoup £1.50"

    Thats 2.5 pee per hour, where do I sign up...

    duh.

  8. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    For those saying £1.50 is a rip off...

    don't forget to remove the £1.99 membership.

    So actually you are being paid -£.49 for 60 hours work!

    Expect to see ads on the backs of old Aastra's and Metros soon.

  9. Red Bren
    Big Brother

    Attention of those responsible

    "What I like most about is that potentially there will be more eyes watching existing systems for events that are anti-social or contrary to public safety, which can be brought to the attention of those responsible to respond, which may or may not be the police."

    I guess it depends if the police are the ones responsible for the anti-social behaviour.

  10. Bluenose
    Coat

    Where's Bruce Willis.....

    Am I living my life through a surrogate??? They had people working for the police who did this type of thing in that movie. Think I'll move to a cctv free reservation like the surrogate free ones in the movie.

  11. LuMan
    Troll

    Blimey!

    This could open up a HUGE can of worms. On the one hand, it's great that social-conscious individuals can do their bit (and, effectively, get paid for it), but there's so many questions surrounding usage. For example, how will the operator know whether their amateur sleuths are actually watching the feeds? They could log in and then watch Jeremy Kyle (plenty of scrotes on that one). Also, what happens when they spot the sixth offence and have run out of credits to send SMS messages to the stores? And will it really stop those voyuers who are happy to pay £2 a month to ogle shoppers?

    I sort of like the idea, but I'm still a little unsure.....

    1. frank ly

      Free Ogling

      "..And will it really stop those voyuers who are happy to pay £2 a month to ogle shoppers?."

      Those people are truly sad muppets. I get to ogle shoppers for free. Morrisons is just around the corner and you can walk around for hours with no need to buy anything. Just ogle....ogle....ogle.

      (They also have air-con so it's a great place to be in the summer [if we get one]).

  12. Mephistro
    Thumb Down

    They don't do it for the money, you know

    "Internet Eyes, harnessing the power of peeping toms since 2010"

    This is f the worst idea I've heard since they tried hot chili peppers as a cure for hemorrhoids.

  13. Blofeld's Cat
    FAIL

    Coming shortly to YouTube

    "The World's worst shoplifters compilation" or "How to shoplift"

  14. Alpha Tony

    So...

    'More than 60 hours spent watching CCTV feeds each month will recoup £1.50'

    What the f**k? Who is going to be sad enough to spend >60 hours a month staring at store CCTV footage in the vague hope of catching some chav stealing a packet of hobnobs? Anyone that signs up for this should be beaten within an inch of the life they clearly don't have.

  15. Michael 47
    WTF?

    60 hours a month???

    "Keen sleuths will also be able to earn back most of their membership fees by racking up their hours on stakeout. More than 60 hours spent watching CCTV feeds each month will recoup £1.50."

    So they expect people to basically spend an average of 2 hours a day, every day, *for free* (as that £1.50 is just shy of your montly fee) in the hope of maybe winning £1000? Maybe its just me but i think they might see some activity for a month or two, but most people will get really bored really quickly and this idea will be resigned to the big bin marked 'bloody stupid crowdsourcing ideas' along wih a fair few others that have been popping up lately

    1. Liam Johnson

      No

      In the hope of splitting a pot of £1000 with 20 other sad buggers.

  16. mafoo

    discourage casual voyeurs

    by charging £13 a year do they expect to get people who want to help, or the kind of middle aged man that like to sit in front of the computer wearing crotchless panties.

    Most normal people would see the charge for helping people and go "yer taking the piss mate, just like that person on camera 5".

  17. Stephane Mabille
    FAIL

    Business Model

    So, if I'm right (and I think I am): I (actually not I, someone, euh no one) would pay 50p to watch (work) for them for 60 hours.

    Are the SMS alert sent to a premium number (to avoid false alert of course...)?

    Sounds like the company has a great future... When is their IPO? I already missed Phorm I don't want to pass another great opportunity!

  18. This post has been deleted by its author

  19. TakeTheSkyRoad
    Badgers

    Chat Addon ?

    If they bundle this with a standard chat program so people can talk to "like minded indviduals" (god forbid) then unfortunately I reckon it'll be a huge hit. Chat, spy on shoppers and get to talk about it with other people saf enough to do the same thing ??... Profit !!

    Reasoning based on the simple fact that many many many people spend a massive amount of time already JUST chatting without the potential 1k payout.

    As an afterthought I probably shouldn't be giving them ideas without charging should I ?

    Now to patent.....

  20. Greg J Preece
    WTF?

    You pay them??

    The shopkeepers pay this bunch of goons to get people to watch their CCTV. They get you to watch it for them, and YOU PAY THEM for the privilege?

    Seriously? There's a members fee for sitting on your arse doing someone else's work?

    Are these people fucking stupid??

  21. LinkOfHyrule
    Pint

    First person to

    The first person to sign up, get connected to the cams and THEN broadcast a relay of all the cams they are watching over the net so the rest of us watch too and even play pranks in the location the cam is covering, wins a pint!

    That should hopefully also help put an end to this stupid idea. If not, I'm sure that fact people ant gunna pay to work will!

  22. Graham Marsden
    Stop

    Obligatory Red Dwarf Quote...

    ... Vote Fascist for a Third Glorious Decade of Total Law Enforcement!

    Be a Government Informer.

    Betray Your Family & Friends.

    Fabulous Prizes to be Won!

  23. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    How are they going to ensure

    that the people watching the streams are complying with the terms of the DPA, with regards to such things as data storage, SARs, and such like?

    Sounds legally dubious to me.

  24. Gartal
    Megaphone

    KGB anyone?

    Firstly, this is appalling. I mean really dreadfull. Where does one begin? You are the country that gave the world the Magna Carta, Common Law, the Westminster System, a slew of legal reforms including the negation of the Divine Right of Kings, The separation of Church and State, the Separation of Powers, The-son-is-not-responsible-for-the-action-of-the-father, Jarrow and so much more. Now you are a bunch of pissants who give up everything without the slightest peep. Quite frankly I am disgusted.

    The cameras are not really needed and never have been. Now they are seen as just another cost.

    YOU HAVE TO PAY? to do this crap? What next? Pay to wipe the arses of gerriatrics?

    Why don't some of you Brits get up off your duffs and protest against this and all of the bloody cameras you have installed?

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