Plan to install surveillance cameras in all Hong Kong taxis is a gross invasion of privacy
Charles Mok says passengers are already frustrated with service standards in the competition-averse taxi trade, and constant surveillance would be too high a price to pay for flimsy promises of improvement
Cherry-picking passengers, poor navigation skills, wilfully taking longer routes and a rude manner are some of the frustrating experiences with taxis regularly experienced in Hong Kong.
The restricted number of taxi licences, at some 18,000, has fanned speculation and led to sky-high prices. There is little incentive for better service, and drivers are exploited by both licence owners and taxi companies.
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Meanwhile, instead of addressing the root cause of the complaints, the taxi industry initiated the installation of CCTV surveillance cameras last year with the aim of “improving service quality”, with in-cab cameras and microphones to record the driver and passengers on a 24/7 basis. Recorded material will be saved for a few months, and the police can request to review the videos.
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This is a severe invasion of privacy. How close are we to the world of George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four if we allow such large-scale surveillance?It is almost inevitable that passengers will be identified. Also worrying is that disputes are being blown out of proportion to justify invasive surveillance measures in all taxis.
Charles Mok is a legislative councillor for the IT sector