Maybe because they are. At least in modern day America where police surveillance cams aren't the only thing that are focusing in on your daily actions, but now private concerned citizens groups are too. Perhaps the real concern would be the government watching the people, but think again.. it may in fact be your neighbor--not necessarily the one armed with good intentions but the one who is armed with a different demon..
A key point: Even if people are update with police surveillance and the Orwellian police state they fear it is creating, at least there are some rules that come with the government monitoring. With citizens watching citizens, those rules don't exist. We may be on the verge of a braver new world that any author last century even thought could happen.
Civil liberties groups are cringing at the negatives that may be created from a world of neighbor monitoring neighbor..
With good reason..