It's a moving mug shot. Future generations will be born into a society in which they see no alternative but to comply with the law. It's the perfect way to breed a complacent society. One reason that the prevalence of cameras is especially offensive is that they don't actually stop criminals. They simply aid in their identification after the act.
People argue that the cameras work just as effectively as any beat cop does.
Besides, it only helps after the damage has already been done. Over sixty cities in the US use surveillance cameras as a public safety measure, though most information about their effectiveness has been anecdotal. Hollywood, CA has a frightening use for its cameras. In 1997 Mayor Guiliani and the NYPD started a campaign of installing surveillance cameras in public housing. After that, they installed cameras in Washington Square Park, put up to discourage the small scale drug dealing on the south side of the park.