In the future, people are convicted on TV.
Cameras secreted about streets, workplaces, even homes, monitor everyone.
It's not done by a special agency: it's entertainment.
Computer algorithms search the video streams for good programming.
Viewers do the same.
When enough people watch a stream, it moves up in the listings and hence draws yet more attention and viewers.
Almost everything entertaining to watch has been criminalized--except execution.
Happily, everyone's remote control has a thumb's up/thumb's down button.
Being watched is tantamount to conviction.
Execution takes some time: not for legal appeals--there are none--but to build up a sufficient audience.
Ratings have never been higher.
The only problem is: the most entertaining people, instead of becoming 'stars,' are all killed.
This has its upsides, too.
--E. R. O'Neill
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