What is more important to Wesleyan students: their laptop or their privacy?
While such an extreme decision may not have to be made, news of Public Safety’s plans to install cameras in strategic places around campus will give most students pause. While Public Safety’s intention to cut down on violent crime and thefts in certain problem areas around campus is hard to knock, not enough information has been given to students to truly understand the implications of this decision. Public Safety has stated that the footage will not be used for punitive measures, but questions must be answered before the cameras start rolling.
Who will have access to the footage? How will Public Safety identify criminals? How much of a role will the Middletown Police have in the entire process? And, if footage is turned over to the Middletown Police, can the footage be used to implicate students in illegal or underage activity that happens to occur within the frame?
Public Safety has disclosed potential camera locations. Call us paranoid, but we can’t help but wonder if a few cameras in a few places could grow to become a campus under surveillance. Public Safety must only place cameras with the incentive to solve serious crime problems, not see how many students are walking in the street toward a party or grouping for a protest.
Despite this hesitancy, we appreciate Public Safety’s new and proactive attempt to stop theft and violence around campus. We hope that publicizing areas where cameras are installed will deter crime before it happens. Still, it is important to remember that no solution is perfect. As always, students must remember to lock doors and windows and pay attention to their surroundings, and understand that theft and violence aren’t only caused by those non-affiliated with Wesleyan.
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