Surveillance State: Most Watched Country Revealed

The country with the most surveillance cameras is China, with an estimated 200 million CCTV cameras. This is followed by the United States with 50 million, Germany with 5.2 million, the United Kingdom with 5 million, and Japan with 5 million. China's extensive surveillance network covers cities, streets, and public spaces, and the country is often labelled as a 'security state'. The high number of cameras in China acts as a deterrent to crime, and the footage provides valuable evidence for law enforcement agencies.

China has the most surveillance cameras in the world

Based on a population of 1.43 billion, IHS Markit's figure of 626 million cameras means there are 439.07 cameras per 1,000 people in China. That's almost one camera for every two people. While China leads the world in CCTV surveillance, there are other countries whose surveillance tactics are of growing concern, including several Indian and Russian cities, Seoul, Singapore, London, Dhaka, New York, and Los Angeles.

China's mass surveillance system has its roots in the Maoist era after the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949. Mao invented this mechanism of control to strengthen his power in the newly founded government. In the early years, when technology was relatively undeveloped in China, mass surveillance was accomplished through word-of-mouth dissemination of information. Chinese citizens kept a watchful eye on one another and reported any inappropriate behaviors that infringed upon the dominant social ideals of the time.

In 2005, the Chinese government created a mass surveillance system called Skynet, which included over 20 million cameras by 2013. As of 2019, it was estimated that 200 million monitoring CCTV cameras were part of the "Skynet" system in mainland China, four times the number of surveillance cameras in the United States. State media in China claims that Skynet is the largest video surveillance system in the world, utilizing facial recognition technology and big data analysis.

China's extensive use of cameras and facial recognition technology has been widely documented. These networks enable the country's social credit program, which gives local governments an unprecedented amount of oversight over its citizens. For example, China's camera networks can be used to verify ATM withdrawals, permit access into homes, and even publicly shame people for minor offenses like jaywalking.

While China's civil liberties have long been sacrificed for what the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) deems the greater good, privacy concerns are growing among its citizens. On October 28, a professor in eastern China sued Hangzhou Safari Park for "violating consumer privacy law by compulsorily collecting visitors' individual characteristics," after the park announced its intention to adopt facial recognition entry gates. In Chongqing, a plan to install surveillance cameras in 15,000 licensed taxicabs faced a backlash from drivers.

Despite concerns over privacy and human rights abuses, many Chinese citizens view the extensive surveillance as a positive. In a 2018 survey of 2,209 citizens, 80% of respondents approved of social credit systems. Mrs. Chen, a resident of Chongqing, the world's most surveilled city, expressed her support for the cameras, saying, "Having these cameras everywhere makes me feel safe."

The United States has the most CCTV cameras per capita

The United States has 15.28 CCTV cameras per 100 individuals, while China has 14.36. The United Kingdom comes in third with 7.5.

The United States also has more CCTV cameras in its major cities than any other country, with 2,232 cameras per 10,000 people.

In terms of surveillance, the United States government made over 800,000 requests for its citizens' personal data in 2019 alone.

The UK has been accused of mass surveillance of its citizens

The UK's primary intelligence and security organisation is the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ). In 2013, the GCHQ faced considerable backlash when Edward Snowden leaked details of the Tempora programme, which allowed the GCHQ to collect vast amounts of internet data that were shared with the USA's National Security Agency.

The Investigatory Powers Act 2016 expanded the electronic surveillance powers of the UK intelligence community and police. In particular, web and phone companies are required to store records of websites visited by customers for 12 months. The Act also introduced new powers for the bulk collection and interception of communications data.

The UK government operates one of the largest surveillance and data collection plans in the world, with three main agencies: MI5, MI6, and GCHQ. However, the full list of intelligence agencies is much longer, including the Security Service, the Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism, the National Crime Agency, and the Secret Intelligence Service, among others.

The UK has one of the largest CCTV networks in the world, with several million CCTV cameras in the country, the majority of which are operated by companies or private individuals. Tens of thousands are operated by UK government bodies.

The UK government may know more about its citizens than they think, with access to basic information such as names, dates of birth, and addresses, as well as more detailed information such as online browsing history. This has led to concerns about the government's ability to monitor its citizens and the potential infringement of privacy and civil liberties.

China has one camera for every two people

China has one of the most extensive surveillance systems in the world. With over 700 million surveillance cameras, there is approximately one camera for every two citizens in the country. This number is expected to have increased since 2021, when there were more than 567 million surveillance cameras in the country.

The Chinese government states that many of these cameras are being installed as part of their "digital health code". While some have gotten accustomed to 24x7 surveillance, there are a few who have expressed discomfort with the cameras. The surveillance system in China has expanded dramatically since the COVID-19 pandemic.

China's surveillance cameras can identify every single person, be it a Chinese national or a foreigner, through facial recognition or "gait recognition" software, which uses an individual's body shape and movement to identify them, even when their face is hidden or covered.

The facial recognition cameras and surveillance systems in China are used for a variety of purposes, including monitoring visitors at tourist sites, conducting security checks at airports, predictive policing, and helping carry out repressive policies. Before the pandemic, media reports also detailed how China used tech surveillance in Xinjiang to repress its Uyghur population.

China's extensive use of cameras and facial recognition technology has been widely documented in the media. These networks enable the country's social credit program, which gives local governments an unprecedented amount of oversight over its citizens. For example, China's camera networks can be used to verify ATM withdrawals, permit access into homes, and even publicly shame people for minor offences like jaywalking.

Despite concerns surrounding China's surveillance technology, a 2018 survey of 2,209 citizens found that 80% of respondents approved of social credit systems.

The number of surveillance cameras worldwide is increasing

The high number of surveillance cameras in China is due in part to the country's social credit program, which gives local governments an unprecedented amount of oversight over its citizens. For example, China's camera networks can be used to verify ATM withdrawals, permit access into homes, and even publicly shame people for minor offences like jaywalking. While this level of surveillance may sound like a dystopian nightmare to Western audiences, it is mostly viewed positively by Chinese citizens, with 80% of respondents in a 2018 survey approving of social credit systems.

While China has the most surveillance cameras overall, the United States has the highest number of CCTV cameras per capita. In addition, eight out of the top 10 cities in the world with the largest number of surveillance cameras installed are located in China. London and New Delhi were the other two cities among the top 10.

The increased prevalence of CCTV surveillance has sparked debates about the benefits and drawbacks of such technology. Proponents argue that CCTV cameras can enhance safety and security, deter crime, and aid law enforcement. On the other hand, critics raise concerns about privacy and the potential for misuse of surveillance data.

Regardless of the stance on this issue, the fact remains that the number of CCTV cameras worldwide is increasing, and this trend shows no signs of slowing down. As technology advances and becomes more affordable, it is likely that even more cameras will be installed in both public and private spaces.

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