I'm Watching You

Hey, was that you walking up Henry Street just now with your black puffy-coat on and carrying that heavy-looking backpack? I guess you must be coming from class or something.

Or was that you driving in the white mini-van down University Avenue a few seconds ago? Maybe you just dropped somebody off at the library or the Student Union Building.

Perhaps that’s you taking a stroll down on the waterfront, just past the Cable Wharf. It’s a cold day for a walk, and there’s a bit of snow on the ground, but the sun is out. Better you than me, though. I’m just sitting here all nice and warm in front of my computer, watching you.

It does feel a little creepy, even if – technically – I’m not doing anything wrong. These images of public spaces around Halifax are available on the internet for anyone, anywhere in the world to enjoy.

Police surveillance and closed-circuit cameras aside, just how much of the area around Halifax is already available to me via cameras that stream images straight to the web?

It turns out – quite a bit. In fact, you can find a definitive guide to all these sites at wright.chebucto.net/view.html. Some of these cameras simply offer long-shot scenic views. For example, you can get a good look at the traffic in Halifax Harbour from the top of Fenwick Place at webcam.chebucto.net.

If you’ve been wondering what the waterfront looks like from the Westin or Alderney Gate today, cameras are refreshed every ten seconds at halifaxwebcam.ca.

There are also some really useful cameras posted by the Nova Scotia Department of Transportation (gov.ns.ca/tran/cameras/camera.asp) that allow you to see highway weather conditions all across the province before you hit the road.

But while I’ve been checking out these webcams, I’ve haven’t only been watching ships and cars; I’ve also been people-watching. The little family of three at the waterfront has no idea I’m watching them right now.

And there are other webcams around town that are aimed directly at places people pass through. There’s a camera mounted in little cul-de-sac just off Northwest Arm Drive (users.eastlink.ca/~akovalko/) that I can watch 24-7 if I feel like it. And you’d better be on your best behaviour when you pass by the corner of University Avenue and Henry Street! There are a couple of live streaming cameras (cs.dal.ca/cam/index.shtml) that allow anyone to watch your every move from a few floors up inside the Dal Computer Science building.

There is an almost-live webcam (at myconnect.ca) with an excellent time-lapsed view of Argyle Street and the entrance to Neptune Theatre. Look at you two coming from the direction of the coffee shop with your giant cups of coffee. So cute together! Hey, are you going into the hotel?

If you’re far away and want to see a little piece of home, I’m sure it’s comforting to look in on your favourite places. But I guess it makes me vaguely uncomfortable to be watching people when they don’t know I’m watching them. If it’s you that I’m watching right now, do you care?