Big Brother is watching you. What Orwell didn't predict though, is that Big Brother wouldn't be the government, it would be your corporate overlords. Walmart is observing your every move in their stores now, with staff-mounted body cams.
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Of course, there has always been CCTV in shops. But, previously we were able to see where it was and plan our shoplifting accordingly. Joking of course! With these new staff-mounted body cams, Walmart will have eyes and ears everywhere. This makes theft much harder, which isn't fair.
Jokes about theft aside, what this really encroaches on is humans' right to privacy. Not only will shoppers now be under even closer scrutiny, but the staff themselves will also be under the constant watch of Walmart. The body cams worn by Walmart employees will give whoever is watching them complete, unadulterated, views of an on-the-ground level surveillance. It signals yet another step backward in human privacy rights.
The store is testing body cams at a handful of stores, but it's not hard to see the organization rolling them out nation wide.
Of course, Walmart will argue that the body cams worn by staff are intended as theft protection. They will also try to sell them as 'protection for staff and shoppers', but we all know this is rubbish. It is a clear case of guilty until proven innocent, which is against everything the justice system stands for.
These cameras further push our society into normalizing constant surveillance by corporations with no scruples.
Walmart Is Pushing Its Luck With Body Cams
The move hasn't gone unnoticed by the public either. However, many people fear that this move by the corporate giant will go unpunished, and will quickly become the norm. It will be yet another step towards having our image constantly tracked. Camera doorbells were bad enough.
Walmart has been rolling out body cams for their employees. This subtle, insidious pressure will create an atmosphere where employees feel as if they are constantly being watched, & to therefore strictly adjust their behavior to fit the demands of their corporate overlords. pic.twitter.com/OdNYy8OnAr
— Wilderness Front (@wildernessfront)
