Is Big Brother watching with white space technology?

This week we’ve introduced you to “white spaces,” the gaps in the airwaves that will bring new technology to Wilmington. So far the city has hinted that security cameras in parks and other public places might be part of the plan, which has some people a bit nervous.

Since we posted the story online we’ve had more than 20 comments. They are all centered around privacy concerns. Several people have claimed that installing security cameras would be “spying on the public” and that the public would be “trading security for freedom.”

Hugh MacRae Park will be the first public park to test security cameras with the intention of preventing vandalism and protecting those of us who use the park.

We spoke with some parents at the park’s playground. They are OK with the deal, saying there’s no privacy in a public place.

“In case a child got snatched, they’d have it on camera,” Jan Cartrette of Wilmington said. “They could be apprehended before anything happened. And it might also deter from people doing that if they knew that they were being watched.”

Private investigator Scott Smithers said the notion of privacy in public is an oxymoron.

“What are you going to do in public that you consider to be private?” Smithers said. “Again, we go back to the word public. You’re in public. What you do can be seen by other people. There is no expectation of privacy.”

Putting a security camera on a street corner is essentially the same as having a police officer standing there 24/7 and giving the police force more eyes and ears.

It is important to note that none of these plans are a sure thing yet. The city and county are still unsure as to exactly how they may use the white space technology.