Who buys and controls the CCTV? Back to contents 30 As CCTVs are cemented into the fabric of public and private spaces, it paves the way for the normalisation of mass surveillance. CCTV systems not only symbolise watching people in real time, but the ability of these networks to store information also means that people’s actions, behaviours, interactions, and expressions are subject to scrutiny and analysis both in real time and in retrospect. With the additional layer of biometric surveillance, CCTVs now don’t just watch what is happening, but rather track who is doing what and, in the case of emotion recognition, are also used to determine what type of person an individual is. In the context of CCTVs in public spaces, the existence of public–private partnerships that bring these systems to deployment is also important to consider, particularly given their implications for the freedom of expression, right to privacy, and the right to peaceful assembly and association. Procurement processes that lay down specifications for monitors, cameras, training personnel, etc, are often negotiated behind closed doors to the extent that the installation and use of CCTVs only become public knowledge once it is already in place, as opposed to being subject to rigorous public debate and scrutiny before adoption. CCTV evolution and integration with AI CCTV networks today readily plug into wider technical networks like smart cities and are easily equipped with AI-based applications like face and emotion recognition. The technical infrastructure of cameras and stored video feeds serve as the first step for these newer forms of surveillance infrastructure to function.