In 1984, George Orwell set out a nightmare vision of a society under constant surveillance, in which neighbours are encouraged, via telesecreens, to spy on one another to enforce conformity.
But if the idea sounds like a far-fetched sci-fi satire, think again. Something close to what Orwell imagined is about to happen in east London.
No, not in the Big Brother house, but in real homes in a real neighbourhood. Residents of two estates in Shoreditch, east London, are to get live CCTV footage of their areas on a new digital TV channel.
Police will broadcast details of local people suspected of breaching antisocial behaviour orders as part of the Community Safety Channel's coverage, and residents are encouraged to report any deviant behaviour via their TV screens.
If the schemes proves to be a success, it will be offered to 20,000 homes. Other boroughs have shown an interest in taking it up on their estates.
The news has already provoked some interesting blog chatter. Mark Ballard wonders who needs twitching curtains now, while John Lettice wonders whether it means we will all soon be told to "press the red button to decide who should get Asboed next".
But not everyone is against. Local residents are said to be keen on the scheme. One said: "These channels are amazing. I still remember the stir in our block when my dad got our first black and white telly. The impact this service will have on the local community is going to be tremendous".
Tom Armitage http://www.newstatesman.co.uk/nma/nma2005/dispatches/archive/2005/01/11/shoreditch-broadband/ writes: "If the Shoreditch scheme is as successful as it promises, we could see similar projects across the country."
So if you get bored of watching bickering minor celebrities in future, you can always tune in to what your neighbours are getting up to.
