The power of videos

The moving picture (video) is a powerful force.

Bruce Schneier has a good post today on the psychology of security. Where he says: "people are more persuaded by a vivid example than they are by statistics. The latter might be more useful, but the former is easier to remember. That's the context in which I want you to think about this very gripping story about a cold-blooded killer caught by city-wide surveillance cameras."

Well the link to the story brings you to a 10 minute piece about how they caught the man, and although it was the cameras that are the focus of the story. A break in the investigation came only when they got a tip (based on pictures for the cameras).

But what made me write about this is that also today I read another piece of information. A Norwegian newspaper talks about when the tables are turned and the police are the ones beeing filmed: Politifolk filmes på jobb (Cops filmed at work) (Includes a link to a youtube video). The article starts of with the chief of police saying he is critical of the phenomenon, but further in the article he also aknowleges that this gives people a new way to control the police.

The last piece of video I saw today was a very moving video testemony from coworkers of a man detained at guantanamo. If you are convinced that everyone in guantanamo is a terrorist, you will not think so after viewing that video testemony.

So if you want to make a statement do it with a video camera.