Watch What You're Doing: Surveillance and Monitoring Policy Survey

The "CSO Surveillance and Monitoring Survey" finds a good many video surveillance practitioners stuck with outmoded practices

By Derek Slater

September 01, 2005 — CSO —

Early surveillance monitors (like early TVs and computers) didn't have solid-state transistors; they used thermionic valves, also known as vacuum tubes. To amplify the incoming signal, you had to heat a filament and get it to release electrons. The key here is the heat; CCTV equipment even into the '70s was filled with thermionic valves. It was cumbersome and clunky and ran hot. Very, very hot. Stuff broke a lot. As a result, surveillance equipment needed constant attention and repair, and early CCTV installers did a brisk maintenance business.

The technology, of course, has come a long way. But the practice of surveillance in many companies appears to be, well, thermionic.

While cameras are getting smaller and more plentiful, and image quality is getting better, and more video is running over standard IP networks (instead of proprietary closed circuits), a good percentage of the 169 respondents to the "CSO Surveillance and Monitoring Survey" indicated that the way they manage video surveillance hasn't changed much since CCTV's early days. Even though 58 percent of respondents said their use of video surveillance is on the rise, many have no clear overarching policy on camera usage (44 percent), do no ROI measurement (49 percent), get no benefit other than security from their surveillance system (66 percent) and have no staff members trained in the possible legal pitfalls of surveillance (45 percent). Articles in this special report aim to help remedy those shortfalls.

The news is a bit better in the world of bits; at least more companies have an official policy on data monitoring of employees than have such a policy governing their use of surveillance cameras. But given the rapid advance of video technology, CSOs would do well to play catchup with video policies and practices. Otherwise, it's likely to get hot, and stuff's going to start breaking.

Most companies have a data monitoring policy; video surveillance is less rigorously governed.

Do you have an official company policy that allows video surveillance (except where illegal) of everyone on company premises?

Yes 51%

No 44%

Don't know 5%

Do you have an official, written policy that allows monitoring of employee computer and network contents?

Yes 86%

No 12%

Don't know 2%

While use of video surveillance is rising, practices seem relatively unsophisticated.

Has your use of video surveillance changed since this time last year?

Grown dramatically 19%

Grown slightly 39%

Stayed the same 41%

Decreased 1%

Do you use fake or deactivated cameras as part of your surveillance practices?

Yes 23%

No 77%

How do you measure the ROI of your surveillance systems? (Check all that apply)

• Print

• Case Study: The ROI of Digital Video Surveillance
• The Hidden Camera
• Watch What You're Doing: Surveillance and Monitoring Policy Survey