It Could Be The New ‘Big Brother’!

After all, at its heart, it's just as mean-spirited and judgemental as the old one:

They have hired bin police forces, stuck microchips in the wheelie bins and dragged their residents to court for disobedience to strict rubbish rules.

Now there is a new option for local councils anxious to ensure that families follow instructions about rubbish - in-bin cameras.

The utter stupidity of that concept (and a few easy ways to subvert it) has already been comprehensively rubbished by Longrider over at 'Orphans'.

But it's the gleeful anticipation of gaining a new power over others that seems to be driving this research:

Researcher Anja Thieme said: 'There is a naming and shaming element to the experiment although it's fun rather than humiliating.

'Waste has a massive environmental impact. By taking a photograph and uploading it to Facebook, the idea is that we create a platform for self-reflection, a permanent reminder.

'It's a bit like having your conscience sat on your shoulder niggling away at you. And on top of that you know that other people are also judging you.'

Sounds delightful, Anja. But what are you going to do when you realise that some people just don't care about the judgements of others?

Furthermore, that they will take perverse delight in subverting and sabotaging your little project at every opportunity?

Because they've looked at you, and people like you, and decided that you won't serve as their conscience if they can help it...