Last Updated on: 30th September 2016, 11:55 am
I hope these new advertisement-blaring, conversation-spying poles won’t be coming to an intersection near me anytime soon. I thought the security cameras were bad enough, but there’s something even creepier about these ones.
Like something out of a sinister Orwellian vision of the future, streetlights with the ability to monitor conversations and announce government warnings are being installed on American streets.
As part of a federally-funded project, manufacturers Illuminating Concepts have begun installing the system, dubbed ‘Intellistreets’ in the town of Farmington Hills, Michigan.
According to the company’s video presentation the capabilities of the devices include homeland security, public safety, traffic control, advertising and video surveillance features.
So stay away from Farmington Hills, Michigan, if you can.
Not only is this sixteen different kinds of ug, I can see this being a big distraction for blind folks. Imagine trying to line up at the crosswalk and listen to traffic, only to have the traffic sounds overshadowed by some big loud advertisement box directly behind your head?
Yuck! Let’s hope this doesn’t become a new thing.