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Profit and terrorism: surveillance camera sales rise after attacks

May 7, 2013

Surveillance camera footage was the hero in the successful capture of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects. It was “a camera outside the Lord & Taylor department store that provided the first glimpse of the men who allegedly bombed the Boston Marathon.” Homeland Security Official Stewart Baker, who watched the events unfold, “expects to see more cameras playing a role in big investigations.” [Source: NPR.org]

A sharp increase in security camera sales after Boston bombings led many to believe that the bump was evidence of a trend. Would surveillance camera sales always increase after a terrorist attack?

While that may be partially true, other factors play a part.

The Boston marathon bombing site. (Image by Rebecca Hildreth)

Marketplace reports: “Vance Kozik, who works with D-Link, a company that manufacturers security cameras, explains that when a city or business buys a camera, it’s not always related to recent events, sometimes, it’s just time for an upgrade.”

“The trend now is to go towards high definition multi-megapixel IP cameras,” reports Susanna Kim. “Just because there’s so much more clarity in the video.” The ability to enhance video over computer systems helped the FBI to zero in on the Boston bombing suspects. (Source: ABC)

“The surveillance industry is huge. Just sales of cameras, recorders and other big brother equipment in the U.S. this year is expected to bring in $3.2 billion. And analysts say the market is growing, at a rate of six to eight percent a year.”

Perhaps more surveillance cameras help Americans feel safer after traumatic events. It’s certainly the case that there’s national, psychological repercussions to terrorism. “Research on national samples in the U.S. revealed that 3-5 days afterward the (9/11) attack, 44% of Americans reported at least one symptom of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). One to two months post the attack, 4% showed probable PTSD nationwide.”

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According to IMS research, 30 million surveillance cameras have been sold in the decade after 9/11, including those to homes and businesses. Neil Richards, law professor at Washington University, said, “When people want to feel secure, they buy cameras.” 9/11 resulted in New York’s 3,000 surveillance cameras which formed a “Ring of Steel” in Lower Manhattan. It is likely that the Boston attack will lead to similar measures. Already, authorities are calling for more security cameras. (Source: MSNBC)

Although The Wall Street Journal points out that an American’s chance of being killed by terrorism is one in three million, such dramatic events cause a widespread feeling of helplessness. Installing surveillance devices is perhaps one way in which Americans feel that they are regaining some measure of control over their lives.