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LAST UPDATE
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\n 4 hrs ago\n <\/p>\n
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\n Kelly Earley<\/p>\n
SURVEILLANCE IS NOT a new phenomenon. Each day, we\u2019re all filmed by dozens (or even hundreds) of CCTV cameras, but we\u2019ve largely become desensitised to the presence of security cameras. Perhaps this is because we rarely see the footage that\u2019s collected, which lends a bit of psychological distance.<\/p>\n
CCTV can even offer a sense of reassurance. People feel safer knowing there are cameras in public places. Cameras don\u2019t prevent crime, but they make it easier to figure out what happened and who was responsible, when something does go wrong.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s no surprise people were quick to embrace doorbell cameras. Many still find them creepy and invasive because they have expanded the audience of who can replay footage of us going about our daily lives. Sure, most of the footage goes no further than a data centre, though some of it ends up online \u2013 often without the consent of those filmed.<\/p>\n
Smart doorbells might be handy for accepting parcels when you\u2019re out of the house, but there might be something deeper here: a manufactured pathology of fear and paranoia that we\u2019re succumbing to.<\/p>\n
Think back to the 90s, an objectively more dangerous<\/a> time in Ireland. The only supervision that many kids had was a parent in the front room watching The Weakest Link. They\u2019d throw an eye onto the street every now and then. There were no doorbell cameras, just Neighbourhood Watch<\/a> stickers plastered on everyone\u2019s porch doors.<\/p>\n Comparing then with now, the normalisation of doorbell cameras paints a picture of a deteriorating sense of community. Strong communities don\u2019t thrive on the presence of personal CCTV systems. But it\u2019s harder to sell these products to people who feel safe.\n<\/p>\n Voluntary surveillance<\/p>\n Not too long ago, people\u2019s biggest concern was the fear that their phones were listening to them. Things they had spoken about appeared in their social media advertisements, leaving many uneasy. While it was never that simple, there are plenty of concerning ways in which we\u2019re tracked online.<\/p>\n Upon learning this, we still weren\u2019t collectively interested in parting ways with smartphones and social media apps. This has helped normalise an environment where privacy is a trade-off for some instant gratification. Since then, what we\u2019re willing to tolerate has begun to spiral out of control.<\/p>\n With that said, smart glasses<\/a> seem to be a step too far for many people. A privacy campaign called Stop Smart Glasses<\/a> was launched in Ireland and the UK a couple of weeks ago, calling on people to act now before we normalise non-consensual filming in public. The initiative encourages people to contact opticians and high street retailers, urging them to stop selling smart glasses.<\/p>\n The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) has outlined the threats that smart glasses pose, facilitating violations ranging from mockery to coercive and sexual abuse. DRCC CEO Rachel Morrogh has said<\/a>: \u201cRestricting our lives is not an acceptable response to men\u2019s violence against us\u201d and she has previously spoken about how the tech aims to make the lives of women and girls as small as possible.<\/p>\n Somehow, it gets worse<\/p>\n Coming down the tracks are some even more alarming developments that should inspire disquiet.<\/p>\n Recently, Apple revealed that it is integrating \u201cAudio Intelligence\u201d into the latest Apple Watch. This feature listens to what is going on throughout your day \u2013 without requiring a trigger like \u201cHey Siri\u201d which was previously the case.<\/p>\n Users can avail of two new features facilitated by this capability. Firstly, \u201cLive Rewind\u201d on the Apple Watch continuously records audio from the wearable\u2019s microphone. This can enable users to read a recap if they\u2019ve missed something someone said. In a social setting, this is undeniably more awkward than just asking someone to repeat themselves.<\/p>\n Alamy Stock Photo\n<\/p>\n Secondly, we have \u201cSiri Recap\u201d which is another feature that listens all day long. It can transcribe your conversations throughout the day and use AI to repackage everything that has happened into a summary so that you can revisit important conversations later on. This might be a nice feature for people who ruminate on what was said during arguments, but most of us will feel like we\u2019re involuntarily being placed in an episode of Black Mirror.<\/p>\n Parallel to this, rumours are swirling of new smart home products<\/a> from the iPhone-maker. These devices reportedly include a doorbell, a thermostat, a smart lock and potentially, security cameras. These devices are expected to be made in partnership with LG<\/a>. Yes, the same LG that saw itself at the centre<\/a> of a smart TV privacy controversy in September.<\/p>\n![\"bangkok-thailand-may-4-2026-apple-watches-stand-on-display-poles-inside-an-apple-store-with-people-softly-blurred-in-the-background\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1791897373_876_.jpeg\")
\n Alamy Stock Photo<\/p>\n