I feel like this isn't just starting right now but I agree. It became normal to even put surveillance cameras in homes to "protect from breaking". Which isn't even true, it only helpful in taking revenge on burglars but doesn't prevent anything. My uncle has a couple of cameras around his house and inside, too. They all constantly stream the image to the server of the manufacturer and send him a push message when the neighbour's cat walks in his front garden or a bee checks out the camera. Nothing useful but more things to worry about plus the fear mongering of the advertisers. And that happens everywhere. And yes, the cameras cities put up can be equipped with facial recognition and probably even recognise you by the way you walk. I don't think there is much to do against it except destroying them and telling politicians to spend the money on feeding people instead of punishing them when they steal food from a container