CCTVs are now installed in movie halls too

Cinema operators told my paper that they have begun installing closed-circuit TV (CCTV) cameras not just in the common spaces of their cineplexes, but in movie halls as well, citing security and movie piracy as reasons for doing so.

Mr Terence Heng, vice-president of media for Shaw Theatres, said that the CCTV cameras are meant mainly for anti-piracy purposes.

"However, we also realised that they allow us to troubleshoot (in the event of) any disputes involving cinema operations or customers," he said.

"Only authorised personnel have access to the CCTVs and their footage," he added.

The CCTV cameras have also helped in police investigations, he said, without providing details.

A spokesman for leisure and entertainment group Cathay Organisation Holdings added that apart from CCTV cameras, night-vision binoculars are also used to monitor piracy activities.

Some cinema patrons are uneasy over the move.

School teacher Chue Weng Fai, 32, said: "It seems like an invasion of privacy and feels strange knowing that there are cameras watching your every move."

Secretary Philicia Mok, 38, felt that the use of CCTV cameras to curb piracy would have limited success. She said: "There are many ways to skin a cat. People will still find a way to steal content if they want to."

ORIGINAL SOURCE
Content used in this not-for-profit blog remain the property of their respective owners.