S&C webcams being turned off??

[melmerby]

The cameras were switched of on the insistence of Northern Rail.

 

FoSCL notice:

"Some of the existing webcams provided by RailCam UK and located on our properties have direct views of Northern Railway stations. Northern have informed us that there are GDPR issues and have asked that RailCam UK remove them. This relates specifically to the webcams on Ribblehead and Kirkby Stephen stations which are non-compliant and will be removed shortly."

 

However St Bees is also a Northern Rail station with a Railcam camera, will that get turned off as well?

What about all the other station webcams?

Sanquhar on the line to Dumfries (Scotrail) has clear view of the station and anyone on it.

 

I remember one of the RH&DR cameras started blanking a window in a property overlooking the line, I could never understand why as even with a very large display you couldn't actually make out any detail. It isn't blanked any more.

 

Could it be that Northern being a Government owned operator are just being silly?

 

 

[Wheatley]

1 hour ago, melmerby said:

 

Could it be that Northern being a Government owned operator are just being silly?

 

 

Does GDPR only apply to government owned organisations now ? I refer you to my previous answer about the legal responsibilities of organisations filming people on their premises, or allowing other organisations to do so.

 

I'll ask their GDPR compliance officer in the morning if he knows about the one at St Bees. 

[melmerby]

1 hour ago, Wheatley said:

Does GDPR only apply to government owned organisations now ? I refer you to my previous answer about the legal responsibilities of organisations filming people on their premises, or allowing other organisations to do so.

 

I'll ask their GDPR compliance officer in the morning if he knows about the one at St Bees. 

Not in the least but maybe more enthusiastically enforced?

 

If this is taken to it's logical conclusion there won't be many webcams around (and not just railways) just in case someone is seen on them.

[andania 213]

37 minutes ago, melmerby said:

If this is taken to it's logical conclusion there won't be many webcams around (and not just railways) just in case someone is seen on them.

 

[newbryford]

15 hours ago, melmerby said:

The cameras were switched of on the insistence of Northern Rail.

 

FoSCL notice:

"Some of the existing webcams provided by RailCam UK and located on our properties have direct views of Northern Railway stations. Northern have informed us that there are GDPR issues and have asked that RailCam UK remove them. This relates specifically to the webcams on Ribblehead and Kirkby Stephen stations which are non-compliant and will be removed shortly."

 

However St Bees is also a Northern Rail station with a Railcam camera, will that get turned off as well?

What about all the other station webcams?

Sanquhar on the line to Dumfries (Scotrail) has clear view of the station and anyone on it.

 

I remember one of the RH&DR cameras started blanking a window in a property overlooking the line, I could never understand why as even with a very large display you couldn't actually make out any detail. It isn't blanked any more.

 

Could it be that Northern being a Government owned operator are just being silly?

 

 

 

There is a story circulating along the S&C grapevine that using GDPR to turn them off is a smokescreen, but as it's rumour and hearsay, I won't repeat it here.

[woodenhead]

There is a rumour circulating that GDPR is a smokescreen, I won't name my source ^^^^^^^^^^^

[jonny777]

15 hours ago, melmerby said:

 

 

I remember one of the RH&DR cameras started blanking a window in a property overlooking the line, I could never understand why as even with a very large display you couldn't actually make out any detail. It isn't blanked any more.

 

 

 

 

The blanking was of a bedroom window at one of the houses in Langport Road. I always thought it was somewhat pointless as the house was quite a distance away. However, if you have occupants who do not like the idea of  cameras (which can be viewed by anyone in the world) pointing at your bedroom, especially after dark when the lights are on - and even more so if that is your teenage daughter's room, I can understand the reasons you might insist it be replaced by a black rectangle. 

 

I would be saddened if the Ribblehead Viaduct cam is shut down, as it gives some wonderful images of Whernside during the year, especially in winter after a fall of snow. 

 

I suspect there were not many watching the Doncaster cam at the time when a van driver peed up against a pile of pallets, otherwise that one might have vanished as well. I was simply waiting for a Leeds to Felixstowe freight train (honestly, m'lud). 

[Wheatley]

From the Railcam site:

 

"A formal contract is now in place to allow the best two cameras – Ribblehead Viaduct and Horton-in-Ribblesdale – to continue indefinitely with minor adjustments to satisfy all parties involved."

 

https://news.railcam.uk/index.php/2021/06/11/agreement-secures-future-railcam-coverage-on-the-settle-carlisle-line/

 

This 'smokescreen' appears to be Scotch mist. 

Edited June 16, 2021 by Wheatley

[w124bob]

If you drink enough beer, everything goes fuzzy after awhile.

[Wickham Green too]

10 hours ago, jonny777 said:

...... pointing at your bedroom, especially after dark when the lights are on - and even more so if that is your teenage daughter's room, I can understand the reasons you might insist it be replaced by a black rectangle. .......

Though it's a shame they're too poor to afford curtains.

[woodenhead]

13 hours ago, Wickham Green too said:

Though it's a shame they're too poor to afford curtains.

To be fair to the occupants, it shouldn't matter whether there are curtains or not, you should have the choice to decide whether or not a camera can point at any part of your house which would intrude your privacy.

 

It's why all security cameras have to point within the property being protected and where it doesn't that the risk of recording activities is mitigated.

[melmerby]

A comment on the Railcam site from someone who worked on GPDR issues says that it isn't the showing of faces per se but that someone streaming it might run facial recognition software and that is a privacy concern.

The issue with other camera sites showing people on platforms etc. might mean the same result, unless they can be re-sited.

 

One total berk complained that losing the two S&C cameras means he will not now re-new his subscription to Railcam.

One of the staff pointed out that they were free to view anyway, both on Railcam & FoSCL!

[woodenhead]

15 hours ago, melmerby said:

A comment on the Railcam site from someone who worked on GPDR issues says that it isn't the showing of faces per se but that someone streaming it might run facial recognition software and that is a privacy concern.

The issue with other camera sites showing people on platforms etc. might mean the same result, unless they can be re-sited.

 

One total berk complained that losing the two S&C cameras means he will not now re-new his subscription to Railcam.

One of the staff pointed out that they were free to view anyway, both on Railcam & FoSCL!

Yet over on the NYMR there is a camera above Grosmont, people stand right in front of it and wave, so it does come down to interpretation and perhaps Northern are a lot more risk averse.

[melmerby]

7 hours ago, woodenhead said:

Yet over on the NYMR there is a camera above Grosmont, people stand right in front of it and wave, so it does come down to interpretation and perhaps Northern are a lot more risk averse.

Precisely

There are plenty of places where cameras capture people's faces. The Cob at the Ffestiniog, people on top deck of trams as they pass the depot cam at Seaton, Abergynolwyn on the Talyllyn, several of the WSR cams etc. etc. and that is only on Railcam.

There are plenty of other webcams at "interesting" places where people can be seen full face.

 

It's like most rules and regulations in the UK, they are not clear enough on what is OK and what is not OK, meaning loads of work to the legal profession.