Eh, it's disconcerting, but I can't see how this is even a good example of surveillance abuse in the UK. You're also not protected from any of what was mentioned in the article in the US. You probably wouldn't get your phone bill scrutinized for such a minor case in the US, but it's not something that only happens if you're suspected of terrorism (along with a multitude of other privacy invasions). You can also be photographed in most places outside your home in both countries.
I don't know if the US, the land of the warrant-less wire taps, really has much to feel smug about in protecting its own citizens' privacy. The fact that it was justified by the flimsy excuse of preventing terrorism doesn't matter. I would much rather be followed by some dude in a car in public where I expect people to see me than to have my private conversations monitored and/or recorded.
I do think it's an issue that needs to be addressed in modern democracies. I fall fully in the privacy rights camp. I do think that powers to record people in public should be reigned in, but I don't think people should assume they are invisible to the government, even local council government, when they are in public.
