Item — HN Reader

> Thorp notes that modern CCTV cameras are “pretty great” even at low-light levels, while harsh light makes it hard for both human eyes and digital sensors to see.

That’s a weird thing to include. That sounds like an argument _for_ more aggressive lights. I didn’t expect to see a “think of the surveillance system”

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> That’s a weird thing to include. That sounds like an argument _for_ more aggressive lights. I didn’t expect to see a “think of the surveillance system”

One of the biggest excuses for ultra-bright streetlights is crime prevention (usually shortly followed by CCTV). I'm not really sure why we continue to indulge that point of view, but if one is indulging it...

It's even funnier that, at least around here, one of the biggest crime problems is people stealing copper wiring... from streetlights...

I know we can be all righteous and intellectual on HN. But the article pretty much glosses over the large number of people who are afraid of the dark. Not afraid of crime in the dark. Actual adults who are apparently having a visceral reaction to the dark. What percentage of people is this? What percentage of those would adapt in a positive manner?

Those people can carry around a cheap LED lamp if it so pleases them...

The "lights=safety" nonsense shows no sign of coming to an end. Many private residences also install eye-searing levels of lighting outside that they just leave on all night, which is much cheaper to do now thanks to LED technology. There's really no reason for doing it. The idea it deters crime is a long-standing myth (someone analogous to the idea CCTVs deter crime).

If your goal is to reduce light pollution, addressing/deflecting the concerns of the surveillance state is probably more likely to get you to that goal than ignoring the concerns entirely or tying yourself to the omnicause

Even then, couldn't you just use IR cameras with IR lights for illumination. I'm sure that comes with it's own set of issues, but strictly speaking is better for maximising surveillance while minimising human impact

Their prime audience for change are governments...