Alexandra Obst 18:56, 2 Sep 2004 (EST)
Privacy_and_New_Technologies
Privacy and New technologies-Camera Phones.
A relatively new technology that has become a concerning privacy issue throughout the world is camera phones. With the introduction of such technology the privacy of other mobile phone users and even the general public is being jeopardised. Ten percent of mobile phones shipped in the U.S. have the technology to take clear and quality photos and in the near future that percentage will rise by at least half. This technology has been quite a controversial topic within the public arena since its introduction and subsequent abuse of it’s capabilities. More and more mobile telephones are being used as small portable cameras. The use of a mobile phone camera can be extremely quiet and subtle, with the availability of phones such as the Samsung, 3 and some Nokias with built in cameras well disguised to be undetectable from a short distance, therefore making it hard to distinguish camera phones from regular mobiles. The mobile phone user can appear to be making a phone call they can actually be taking a photo. This enables a mobile phone user to take a photo without consent or even the victims knowledge of the act. This has become a major concern for the general public, especially parents whose children may be victims of such invasions of privacy.
Camera phones became a privacy menace when people began to abuse them, for some time camera phones were often a focus in the media because of this misuse. This technology makes places such as store changing rooms, school or gym locker rooms immediate targets for the invasion of privacy via camera phones. Some uses of camera phones are simply harmless yet other forms are obviously illegal. People have been arrested for taking photos without consent up women’s skirts. Taking photos in a shopping area of clothing or pages of books, is shoplifting which is an illegal offence. This has become a problem for museums and art galleries where the high quality cameras on mobiles can allow people to take quality photos of the artwork for no price at all. The shots that are captured on a mobile phone camera can be sent to friend’s mobiles or even to websites (that have automated mobile blogging) for example Buzznet.com, Textamerica.com or Fotolog.net (cited http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0.aid,113632,00.asp, accessed October 17, 2004) these photos can then be observed worldwide in a matter of seconds. The privacy of the general public involving camera phones has become such an issue some states in America are considering laws to ban camera phones in particular public places. Until future technology may automatically disable camera phones once the owner enters publicly sensitive areas, the use of mobile phone cameras is still and will continue to be an invasion of privacy for the public.
Bibliography
Cell Phone Camera.2004 http://www.1st-in-cell-phones.com/camera-cell-phones.html (accessed October 20, 2004)
Batista, E. 2003. New privacy Menace: Cell Phones? Wired News.
http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,57692,00.html(accessed October 20, 2004)
Sensura. 2003. Novel solution to camera phone privacy abuse. Product news. http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/ssa/ssa101.html (accessed October 9, 2004)
Thorton, C. New Phones Raise Privacy Fears. 2003.http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0.aid,113632,00.asp (accessed October 17, 2004)
Weinstein, L. 2003. Tiny cell phone or Big Brother. Wired News. http://www.wired.com/news/privacy/0,1848,57040,00.html (accessed September 7, 2004)
Alexandra Obst 16:26, 28 Oct 2004 (EST)
