A “BIG BROTHER” CULTURE, FUELLED BY TECHNOLOGY AND FEAR, IS AN EXPANDING ELEMENT OF TODAY’S WORLD. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE IN BRITAIN: THE PROLIFERATION OF CCTV CAMERAS TO MONITOR CITIZENS’ MOVEMENTS, NEW STATE-IMPOSED LIMITS ON FREEDOM OF SPEECH, AND A SERIOUS EROSION OF INDIVIDUAL PRIVACY RIGHTS ARE ALL NOW COMMONPLACE. ORWELL’S “1984” IS NOW LESS FICTION AND MORE AN ALARMING REALITY IN PRESENT DAY BRITAIN. THE UK HAS APPROXIMATELY ONE CAMERA FOR EVERY FOURTEEN PEOPLE AND THE AVERAGE CITIZEN OF LONDON IS ON CAMERA 300 TIMES A DAY. THE UK IS RAPIDLY MOVING TOWARDS A TOTAL SURVEILLANCE SOCIETY THROUGH BIOMETRICS, DNA DATABANKS, NATIONAL ID CARDS, RF TAGS, AND CCTV SYSTEMS. THE DANGERS POSED BY THESE SWEEPING CHANGES ARE RARELY DISCUSSED OR DEBATED BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

THE VISUAL COUNTERMEASURES PROJECT (VCMP) IS A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY 2.0-COLLABORATION WHICH AIMS TO SHED LIGHT ON THESE CRUCIAL ISSUES AND ENCOURAGE DEBATE. VCMP SPEAKS TO INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM FOR ALL, FOR PRIVACY, AND FOR FREE SPEECH.