CP NEWS: Mandatory Security Cameras?

[ddm-news]

As Clubplanet reported some months ago, plans are afoot for clubs to add electronic, sophisticated security systems that will scan your face and check your id.

Now, with the recent string of violence in New York, there's more momentum than ever for something similar: mandatory security cameras installed at the doorways clubs. It's the age-old battle: safety vs. privacy. And it's a particularly controversial issue for the gay community.

From the NY Times:

These critics said the cameras would invade their privacy and pose a particular threat to those who are not open about their sexual orientation.

“It smacks of Big Brother,” said William K. Dobbs, a longtime gay activist, adding that it would even keep some people away from the clubs. “It will have an impact on everybody who enjoys New York nightlife.”

While the details of the proposal have yet to be worked out, it would apply to nightclubs that operate with city-issued cabaret licenses that allow dancing. If the nightclub owners refused to comply, their licenses could be suspended or revoked.

Ms. Quinn contends that the owners should install the security cameras to protect their patrons and help deter crime in and around the clubs. In recent months, bars and nightclubs have drawn increased scrutiny because of the separate murders of two young women after nights of drinking and partying in Manhattan. A club bouncer has been charged in one of those murders.

Read the full story after the jump.

Link To Original Article