Belgium is following the UK trend of seeing security cameras mushrooming wherever you go both in public places and the company workplace.
The number of official applications for CCTV has increased from 6,552 in 2010 to 18,041 last year. The requests are coming from municipalities, companies, small businesses or shops. And any single application approved for a location can result in dozens of new cameras on the same site.
Belgium’s Privacy Commission fears that the soaring number of closed circuit security systems could harm people’s privacy. The Commission complains that there is still a grey zone where legislation is concerned, and is talking about illegal practices. The Commission claims that some companies officially install security cameras to catch possible thieves, while in fact they are using it to spy on their own employees.
Recently, the trade union members of ArcelorMittal claimed that their conversations had been taped by the management through security cameras. Police are also claimed to be abussing the system.
