Watching you watching us

_{image of LA Subway Station by mullingitover on Flickr}

Those “we’re watching, are you” signs on my local public transport system have always given me a very creepy feeling, as has the disembodied voice at the station who tells us that “Anyone entering the transit system is subject to random bag inspection by transit police. Thank you for keeping our system safe.” *shivers* It reminds me quite a bit of Chuck Palahniuk’s comments about the “illusion of safety” in Fight Club, which as some of you may know, was a book before it was a movie.

I digress.

The point is that Los Angeles seems to have decided to out 1984 the East Coast in ways that are vastly creepier than a pre-recorded message. Keith, a MySpace user and BoingBoing.net reader, sent in his story of being stopped by security and having a disembodied voice from the subway station address him specifically in regards to his photography, namely to tell him to stop.

Keith posted to his MySpace page

He then proceeded to huddle in the corner and speak into his radio. Next thing I knew, a booming female voice very loudly announced over the loudspeaker “Attention to the gentleman in the plaid shirt: You are not allowed to take photographs in the Subway. You will be arrested if you continue to take photos and harrass the metro worker.”

I was incensed/surprised/embarrassed/horrified/bewildered. People started staring.

Then the voice continued: “The gentleman in the plaid shirt: You must approach the callbox near the escalators and speak to the sheriff.” I didn’t budge. So she said it again, this time louder…

I’m sorry, but I don’t respond well to voices coming out of speakers in the ceiling, voices that can clearly see me but the person of whom I cannot view. It has this very “picture screen behind the painting” vibe, and I can’t help but think Big Brother is watching.

Apparently, however, LA’s Big Brother is not all-knowing:

Once I got home I called the metro security number that I saw on a “We’re watching, are you?” poster (shiver) inside the train and asked what the law was. The operator said she’d never heard of one, then said she didn’t know for sure, then apologized for the guy cursing at me, and gave me the sheriff station…I called and spoke with a Deputy and told him what had happened and he stated that “there is no such law.”

Hmm, can’t take a photo of the Red Line, eh? That’s funny, because over at Flickr, there are many such photos. Shame on you all for breaking the law.