Eight years ago, six webcams were installed around campus by Ohio State's Department of Public Safety. The purpose of the safety initiative, "Eyes on Safety," is to deter campus crime by allowing anyone with access to the Internet to watch online for suspicious activity and report it to the department.
However, over the years, not one call has been made to deter crime captured by the webcams. Though there are possible safety benefits, some people view these webcams as an infringement on a person's privacy. Despite these issues, a new, updated webcam system will be installed by fall quarter.
Rick Amweg, assistant chief of University Police, said that although no calls about suspicious behavior were made because of the original cameras, he knows that the Web site was being watched because the department received complaints when the cameras were temporarily shut down.
He said that since the equipment is outdated, only two cameras, one located outside of Ohio Stadium and one pointed toward the medical complex, are currently operating and available on the department's Web site,
ps.ohio-state.edu/index.php.
Amweg said the Department of Public Safety has recently committed funds to update or replace all six cameras fall quarter.
The four cameras that will be replaced include one outside the Knowlton School of Architecture, one looking down the 18th Avenue plaza, one at Mirror Lake and one overlooking the Oval.
Mike Brickner, spokesman for the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio, said that although these webcams could help with deterring a few campus crimes, they come at the expense and privacy of thousands of people who walk through campus.
"I think it's a good intention that they're trying to fight crime and make the campus safer," Brickner said. "I'm just concerned that they're casting such a wide net by allowing anyone who has access to the Internet to look at this. It might cause more problems than it's going to solve."
