I hate myself for biting but....
1) Digital media article... in a section of a Tech Website entitled "Media"
2) Twitter issues, relates to IT.
3) Civil Liberties issues, something the Reg focuses on quite often, especially when, you know, there's an IT angle.
So yes, it's definitely in the right place for an article like this.
I'm personally in two minds on this one. On the side of photography definitely, but maybe, just maybe, if he'd have said "wotcha mate, just filming the sign for an art project" rather than being a cocky ass, it would have gone downhill so quick. Although I personally have my doubts. Any "guard" who starts spouting BS that far, that fast is not going to be reasonable; "under the direction of the Dept of Transport"... wtf? Your local weighbridge I suspect is under the direction of the Dept of Transport ffs.
If someone is going to be given the job of "guarding" then organisations like the Port of Tyne seriously need to be giving proper guidelines and not "he looked a bit funny". To be honest, I'd have the Port fined for blatantly inadequate training, make them GIVE adequate training and then if the site SecuraGoon do it again they have reasonable grounds to dismiss the idiots. Aggressively accosting innocent bystanders in a public place, can never, ever be acceptable in a civilised world.
The Police also need to step up their game. Their apologist nonsense just proves they don’t get it either. Besides, I thought they’d be upset someone was muscling in on their game….
BS all round!
Biting the hand that feeds IT
