surveillance

[Curious1]

I'm considering coming to Finland to study (from within the EU, and probably to one of the smaller cities rather than Helsinki), but I have huge privacy objections to all kinds of surveillance, basically it causes me anxiety to be made to feel on display, it means I can have anxiety attacks (don't try to argue as this is a kind of gut response I have and not something I will be talked out of). I'm trying to figure out if Finland is a good place for me.

Questions:

Are there a lot of CCTV cameras? In what kinds of settings? Just in shops and banks? Or in the streets as well? What about public transport, and taxis?

Do a lot of public buildings (places I'd actually have to use) have card-access or guard-controlled access?

Are there notices everywhere reminding people of all the things they're not allowed to do?

Are there a lot of police about? How, if at all, do they interact with people (assuming they don't actively suspect you of anything)? Do they do random stops, and if so for what kinds of reasons and how often? Do police or security guards commonly do searches or ID checks in public places?

What are the housing arrangements mostly like? Are they mostly apartment blocks with outer locks shared by all the residents, or are they mostly self-contained units? Are gated communities common or rare?

What about at universities? Would I have to interact with guards or use card scanners to get in or out of university buildings? Are there cameras in the lecture-halls or in places like libraries?

In what kind of circumstances would I need to show ID? Is it common?

Does it make a difference where I live? Is it better in this regard to be in a smaller town rather than a large one for instance? Or in towns which habitually have certain parties in power rather than others?

Is there anything else along these lines that I would need to worry about?

I would like to be able to be active socially as much as possible, but if necessary I can live with only using home, university, streets, and basic services (such as medicine).

Also, if Finland is not good in this regard, is it pretty much the same everywhere or are there better places?

[EP]

Sorry. but you sound more than a bit paranoid.

Are there a lot of CCTV cameras? In what kinds of settings? Just in shops and banks? Or in the streets as well? What about public transport, and taxis?

I have not really payed attention. Banks and stores yes. Not in public transport, but taxis would like to have them because some people even to this day have not understood that taxis don´t have much money, most people pay with plastic. So cameras could prevent robberies.

Do a lot of public buildings (places I'd actually have to use) have card-access or guard-controlled access?

Big companies yes. Not like 30 years ago when a thief could just walk into my work place and steal €€€€€€€€€€€€ worth of art from the walls.

Are there notices everywhere reminding people of all the things they're not allowed to do?

No. Unlike in the 1960´s when there were signs in trams that told that you are not allowed to spit on the floor.

What about at universities? Would I have to interact with guards or use card scanners to get in or out of university buildings? Are there cameras in the lecture-halls or in places like libraries?

No.

Are there a lot of police about? How, if at all, do they interact with people (assuming they don't actively suspect you of anything)? Do they do random stops, and if so for what kinds of reasons and how often? Do police or security guards commonly do searches or ID checks in public places?

No.

What are the housing arrangements mostly like?

It depends where you live. I don´t even lock my door if I just go somewhere nearby.

In what kind of circumstances would I need to show ID

If you buy something worth over 50 € (?) and pay with plastic. If you buy alcohol and look younger than 18/21.

[EP]

I forgot: There are smoking restrictions just about everywhere.

[Curious1]

Yes I feel a bit paranoid sometimes
It's not that I consciously think they're after me, it's just that these things make me nervous. Legacy of bad experiences in the past.

Thanks for all the information which is very helpful

[Mangrove]

Are there a lot of CCTV cameras? In what kinds of settings? Just in shops and banks? Or in the streets as well?

Every major four-way intersection is monitored by a camera in Helsinki Region. This is done to ensure the traffic won't jam at the lights. There's an police officer at Helsinki Region Traffic Management Centre whose only job is to look at the cameras. All larger traffic tunnels are monitored as well. Small cities probably do not have a single camera at public places.

[jtammilehto]

Also be sure to avoid USA

For a $2 purchase in WalMart they wanted to see my passport.

[Pursuivant]

I'm trying to figure out if Finland is a good place for me.?

Yes, you don't have to be crazy to live here, but it helps.

Are there a lot of CCTV cameras? In what kinds of settings? Just in shops and banks? Or in the streets as well? What about public transport, and taxis?

In the city in places, not as much as say in the UK, banks, stores, speed robots, not in buses but taxis have them these days to discourage taxijackings, traffic cameras and some cctv in downtown areas.

Do a lot of public buildings (places I'd actually have to use) have card-access or guard-controlled access?

Public? Not really, theres your usual guard in malls and such and some sort of an usher in offices

Are there notices everywhere reminding people of all the things they're not allowed to do?

Not really, trams don't even have "do not spit on the floor" signs any more. You just "need to know". No worries -if you make a gaffe someone will stare at you.

Are there a lot of police about?

Never when you need them.

Do they do random stops, and if so for what kinds of reasons and how often?

Only in traffic mainly, they stop you and ask for a blowjob.

Do police or security guards commonly do searches or ID checks in public places?

Only if you get caught shoplifting.

Are they mostly apartment blocks with outer locks shared by all the residents

More or less.

Are gated communities common or rare?

Whats a gated community?

Would I have to interact with guards or use card scanners to get in or out of university buildings?

Theres the office for the ushers usually, sometimes you might have to have student ID with you and show it to the hall monitors.

In what kind of circumstances would I need to show ID?

Buying with a card in shops, getting a drink in bars, buying beer or fags, going to a bank, doing any kind of contract...

Is it better in this regard to be in a smaller town rather than a large one for instance?

In small towns the gossiping old ladies know everything you do before you do it

Is there anything else along these lines that I would need to worry about?

What are you worrying about? Finland is an organized society you are "in the computer" - in principle you don't have to carry ID on the street but you need to be able to prove your identity - the police can query you up on their puter . Basically, you get here, you get registered, get an ID number - you are in the computer. You go to Turku and want a locals' bus pass the lady types you in and says pissoff you live in Helsinki.

basic services (such as medicine).

Without showing ID? Thats a good one

is it pretty much the same everywhere or are there better places?

Grass is always greener on the other side

[Rosamunda]

Is there anything else along these lines that I would need to worry about?

1) In order to buy a travel pass (eg in Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa) you need to be resident in the capital region. So you need to show your ID number when you initially buy the card. So every time you take a bus, tram, local train, metro or the Suomenlinna ferry they know where you are going.... Of course you can travel without a travel card, by paying cash to the driver or buying a single ticket from the machine every time you travel- but then you won't get student discount or any other kind of price reduction.

2) Your taxable income is public information. Anyone can consult public files showing your earned and capital income and see how much tax you pay.

So where do you live? Why do you want to come to Finland? What do you want to study? How long do you intend to stay? Do you speak Finnish? What's your IQ (this is a trick question, you remind me of someone else who used to post on here)?

[rinso]

s it better in this regard to be in a smaller town rather than a large one for instance?

In small towns the gossiping old ladies know everything you do before you do it

In a small town everybody know everything about you.

[Rick1]

There have been people weeks busy here with how the Finns are staring at foreigners (I know why; it is not easy to make a picture at the police station if you do not watch long enough so they are prepared ).

What bad experiences, they have solved many crimes with these camera's so they will not go away.

I suggest you just digg a hole *saddam like* and no worries.

Gated community is houses with large fences, like my neighbours made

[sinikala]

Are there a lot of CCTV cameras? In what kinds of settings? Just in shops and banks? Or in the streets as well? What about public transport, and taxis?

Yes, there are a lot of CCTV cameras, and not only private or police CCTV, but also webcams, so everyone can watch you.

Do a lot of public buildings (places I'd actually have to use) have card-access or guard-controlled access?

Out of hours yes, they record your comings and goings.

Are there notices everywhere reminding people of all the things they're not allowed to do?

No, there are so many cameras that warning signs are not needed, they're watching you all the time so you have to make sure you don't do anything wrong, or they'll get you.

What about at universities? Would I have to interact with guards or use card scanners to get in or out of university buildings? Are there cameras in the lecture-halls or in places like libraries?

Not during office hours. There are cameras everywhere, and they are watching you.

Are there a lot of police about? How, if at all, do they interact with people (assuming they don't actively suspect you of anything)? Do they do random stops, and if so for what kinds of reasons and how often? Do police or security guards commonly do searches or ID checks in public places?

There are not many visible police, police are mostly monitoring the CCTV cameras, and you. Random stops are common for drivers at specific times of year, they test for alcohol, that papers are in order and to check that *you* are not breaking the law.

What are the housing arrangements mostly like?

Terrible.

In what kind of circumstances would I need to show ID

Whenever you are asked, not showing ID may result in being sent to jail. They have CCTV cameras in jails too, before you ask.

Wearing a foil hat will not help you.

[sammy]

Sinikala

Seriously speaking, there sometimes are surveillance cameras in places that seem not to contain anything much of worth or interest, but which have often attracted "graffiti artists" (i.e. w@nkers)... not that it seems to ward off these losers too well... (why is it that 99% of the sodding buggers can't paint, or even spell more than three letters at a time?)

Well... of course there are also the peltipoliisi ("tin policemen")... during a recent road trip to Lapland I was surprised how numerous they are nowadays along some of the main roads

[Pursuivant]

I thought it wasn't the cctv cameras to worry about, but the neighbours venting gas to your flat and upsetting the cat? Especially old ladies suffer of this.

[sammy]

I thought it wasn't the cctv cameras to worry about, but the neighbours venting gas to your flat and upsetting the cat? Especially old ladies suffer of this.

They haven't come across any technical surveillance device more efficient than the good old "your neighbours are watching you" network. As you said this unbeatable system draws it's energy mostly from the apparently turbo-charged hearing aids of old ladies...



The Southern Finland branch even has it's own website http://www.kyttaajat.net/

[riku2]

well finland has a long way to go before matching the UK. One suburb of Birmingham where i used to live years ago has several hundred new cameras (with ANPR) although the huge number of them (in a predominantly Muslim neighborhood) has lead to them being covered up and not being turned on.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/jun/1 ... as-project

I don't think finland has any ANPR cameras yet - how long before they monitor supermarket car parks and bus lanes (although I have no problem with them doing bus lanes). Average speed cameras are getting a trial soon, so I read.