Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Privacy Commissioner encourages CCTV debate

Updated at 9:10 am on 11 March 2012

The Privacy Commissioner says it is time to debate whether New Zealand is becoming a surveillance society.

Marie Shroff says closed circuit surveillance cameras are becoming increasingly popular and is encouraging debate within communities about how much CCTV they want in their streets.

However, she says the debate should not stop there, as many private places such as bars and hotels are using the technology.

Mrs Shroff says private establishments in particular need to ensure that they have a robust plan about what the cameras are for, who can access the footage, and how the data is stored.

She says the recent case in which a Queenstown bouncer was accused of stealing CCTV footage and posting it on the internet highlights the need for tight policies.

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