Observations on a surveillance camera discussion forum

A topic surfaced today on the Security Industry Group's LinkedIn forum that piqued my interest at first on a particular level, but then on a broader, more general one.

The topic was initiated by a link to an instructional sequence relating how some ne'er-do-well can erect homemade spray paint contraptions to blot out hard-to-reach surveillance cameras, rendering them ineffective. The device appears laughably crude, but that's not to say it couldn't achieve its ends. Assembling it requires a hodgepodge of junk, including but not limited to a tree pruner, a bicycle brake bar and a wine bottle opener.

The link was clearly offered as a launching pad for discussion about a potential industry-related problem. It proved instead to be the source of some acrimony. The respondent who posted the link was charged by critics with being irresponsible for disseminating the information and, by extension, aiding the hooligans who might be inclined to undertake in the destruction of surveillance property.

While I might not agree with the criticism, I can see the rationale. The harm in taking part in the transfer of this kind information, so the reasoning goes, ultimately outweighs the good that might result from an open discussion about it. But here's the thing about the Internet: The information's already out there. It's already totally accessible to whomever cares to find it. Another respondent, defending the original poster, correctly pointed this out.

The web is an ambiguous medium. It has the capacity to facilitate the transfer of information both good and bad. But there's also some danger in merely dismissing a problem on the grounds that doing the opposite—confronting it head-on—could somehow help siphon the information to the wrong people. Speaking only in whispers about a problem could prove even more counterproductive.

At its core the web is a medium that wants to be open, not closed. It wants to include, share, inform, engage, improve, discuss, inquire. From a professional standpoint, industry-based forums like the many on LinkedIn can be a valuable stage for these kinds of discussions. If someone in the industry identifies a problem or vulnerability, what simpler or faster way to get a broad industry perspective on that topic than by crowdsourcing other professionals online?