THE FEAR THAT HAS 1000 EYES: CITIES IN THE AGE OF TERRORISM is less of a conspiracy theory documentary, in that it's far less alarmist, and stays away from some of the more loopy, paranoid ideas.
Instead, it uses the history of urbanization, coupled with the rise in surveillance and fortification by government agencies.
The balance between freedom and security is discussed, with the main focus being on security and the consequences of too steep a tilt in that direction. There's a fascinating look at cities in Europe and Asia that have taken some interesting approaches in their attempts to secure the populace. From London's omnipresent security camera system, to China's use of taxi cabs as a traffic surveillance blanket, to the USA's castle-like embassy in Berlin, this is both astonishing and disheartening. It's also disturbing in a fittingly vague sort of way.
Technology used for convenience and security is also examined. The digital age has made a plethora of new options available, in order to make life easier, while keeping an eye on everyone. Cities of the -very near- future appear to be geared toward monitoring any and all activity, at all times.
How much is too much?
Data mining, tracking, drones, scanning, and other means, seem to be creating an urban environment with no hope of privacy.
Then, there's cyber warfare, ushering in a whole universe of nightmare scenarios, including attacks on vital infrastructure, capable of reducing whole cities to a primitive state in a relatively short period of time.
This is a sobering look at what is, and what could very well be in store for us in the not-too-distant future...
Instead, it uses the history of urbanization, coupled with the rise in surveillance and fortification by government agencies.
The balance between freedom and security is discussed, with the main focus being on security and the consequences of too steep a tilt in that direction. There's a fascinating look at cities in Europe and Asia that have taken some interesting approaches in their attempts to secure the populace. From London's omnipresent security camera system, to China's use of taxi cabs as a traffic surveillance blanket, to the USA's castle-like embassy in Berlin, this is both astonishing and disheartening. It's also disturbing in a fittingly vague sort of way.
Technology used for convenience and security is also examined. The digital age has made a plethora of new options available, in order to make life easier, while keeping an eye on everyone. Cities of the -very near- future appear to be geared toward monitoring any and all activity, at all times.
How much is too much?
Data mining, tracking, drones, scanning, and other means, seem to be creating an urban environment with no hope of privacy.
Then, there's cyber warfare, ushering in a whole universe of nightmare scenarios, including attacks on vital infrastructure, capable of reducing whole cities to a primitive state in a relatively short period of time.
This is a sobering look at what is, and what could very well be in store for us in the not-too-distant future...
