Rovereto’s Surveillance Project: Privacy Concerns and Security Benefits
Professor Stefano Rodotà, who works as the Privacy Guarantor, made it clear in his annual report to Parliament: watch out, cameras in our cities—and not only in cities—are multiplying like mushrooms, and the issue of privacy protection is a real concern. It especially concerns cases—many already—where electronic surveillance is invisible; it also concerns the storage of images. This is as clear as day. Rodotà stated that now a law is needed to clarify things and provide guarantees.
In a large city, during a single day, you can be filmed by 300 cameras, and in almost all cases, our image—and that of our companions—is recorded. Therefore, many can know where we were and what we were doing at that exact moment and on that exact day. On the other hand, cameras are installed for security reasons, not for the pleasure of voyeurs or spies of any kind. So it’s a matter of balance: how much can we sacrifice our privacy to achieve greater security? This is a very current issue here in Rovereto, and we’ll explain why.
Last week, in an interview, Leo Boldrini, a Lega candidate for mayor, said that the city council had taken the city for a ride because nothing was done to implement the motion—proposed by Lega and voted through by everyone—that authorized the installation of crime-preventing cameras. However, as we learned yesterday, the situation is different.
The Project and Cameras in Rovereto
The project, developed by a working group composed of experts from the Carabinieri, Police, the commander of the Urban Police, and technicians from ASM, is ready. The preliminary budget, which will serve as the basis for the tender, totals 500 million euros; the infrastructure, including fiber optics covering almost the entire city, is in place; and 18 “sensitive” points have been identified where electronic surveillance will be installed.
Strategic zones, which remain secret for now, are known to include parks, schools, and main traffic lights, but the exact areas are still undisclosed. Emergency “SOS” stations will be placed in public gardens, via Dante, downtown, and Sacco. These will, of course, be highly visible.
In short, everything appears ready on paper; only the political approval remains, which will, if it comes, come from the next mayor. But the project is no longer just theoretical; it is concrete. So concrete that five major electronics companies have already expressed interest: Sony, Panasonic, Thompson, Gobbi Instruments, a company based in Padova specialized in these systems. Experts say that Rovereto’s project is unique in Italy.
Protected zones exist in every Italian city, but, surprisingly, no urban center has yet implemented an integrated, publicly managed system like the one Rovereto could have. The wired network of ASM and the municipality—covering more than 90% of the control infrastructure—is already in place, enabling widespread deployment of the systems. Therefore, the 500 million euros are mainly allocated for the cameras.
The bids submitted by the companies represent the best in electronic technology. Cameras capable of reading license plates of moving vehicles, even detecting the province of origin. Technology has surpassed barriers once considered insurmountable just a few years ago, and costs, even at half a billion euros, have decreased.
The system will have a dual purpose: tracking potential offenders and managing traffic flows. This leads to the operational centers. There will be three: one at the Carabinieri station, one at the Police station, and one at the Urban Police headquarters. The latter center is planned to include a remote system for adjusting traffic light timing to regulate traffic flow.
The Carabinieri, Police, and Urban Police will monitor the images, but what matters is their storage. Here, legal issues arise. How and for how long can these images be retained? Rodotà must provide an answer. This is also a political issue.