Photo by Transit Scope

In another example of security theater — measures that make the public feel like their government is working to keep them safe but are largely ineffectual — the transit authority for greater Gatineau and Ottawa in Canada have instituted a security initiative where riders are asked to be on alert for suspicious activity. Among the suspicious things to look out for:

An individual taking photos or pictures in a location that has no particular interest, drawing maps or sketches, taking notes or wandering in the same location for an unusually long time;

The problem with this directive of course is that who is determine what has “no particular interest”? I might find subway tracks extremely interesting to photograph, but a fellow passenger thinks they’re not of interest and reports me to the authorities. Problems ensue.

And if you want to the sketch the subway? Well, just forget about it…especially if you are prone to pacing.

Article from Boing Boing