The Sagamore: "Society Will Adapt to Camera Phones"

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.sagamore.iupui.edu/33_24/viewpoints/camera_phones.html' target='_blank'>http://www.sagamore.iupui.edu/33_24/viewpoints/camera_phones.html</a><br /><br /></div>"With all the new technological advances introduced each year, it is sometimes hard to keep up with all the latest devices. One item that has caught on quickly is the camera phone. Concerns are now rising about these cell phones being responsible for bringing about a new breed of “Peeping Toms.” For privacy and security reasons, some districts have begun limiting and/or banning the use of these phones in certain places. These restrictions pretend to be a step closer to providing more privacy for people, but in reality, it appears more like an over-the-top reaction. <br /><br />According to The Chicago Tribune, camera phone sales topped five million in 2003, after being introduced to the United States in late 2002. The industry estimates that in about three years there will be approximately 50 million Americans who own a cell phone containing a camera. With the growth in circulation of these phones, people believe that privacy will be violated more than in the past. After a man was caught taking pictures of a woman in a dressing room, the Elk Grove Village Park District near Chicago became the first district in the nation to prohibit such phones."<br /><br />What do you think - will society adapt to the technology of a camera phone, or will the phones have to adapt to society?

[dollardr]

Interesting topic. I work in IT Healthcare and we are of course addressing all of the privacy and security issues required by HIPAA.

How do you stop staff or visitors to a hospital from secretly taking photos of patients - who knows where they could end up on the Internet, especially if it is someone well known.

Hmmm.

[Mike Temporale]

I have to agree with Verizon on this. It seems to me that people are overeating to this. I have read a couple stories where people have used the camera phone to foil abductions or robberies. They can be used for good as well.

Besides, if you ban the camera phone, people will just start picking up the James Bond Spy Camera (http://www.thinkgeek.com/electronics/cameras/655e/). It's the size of a Zippo lighter, which would be bigger risk if you ask me. Even if you search someone, you wouldn't notice this camera.

With that being said, I have to agree with dollardr. There are privacy issues that need to be addressed. I have done some consulting work for a major automotive manufacturer, and a pharmaceutical company. Both had very strict policies on cell phones and cameras in the work place. If they caught you with either one (even if it was turned off) you had some serious trouble coming your way. And I fully understand where they are coming from. What is the solution to these problems, I'm not sure but something must be done.

Just imagine where we would be if back in the early 1900's we had banned the telephone because select few had used it to commit fraudulent acts.

[xendula]

Banning them alltogether is a bit too much, isn't it? Germany is also preparing new laws:

Although camera phones are getting popular, new laws are underway to seriously limit their usage. According to news magazine Der Spiegel, a new privacy law in Germany could lead to fines or even imprisonment for up to one year for voyeurs who infringe upon another person's private life by taking digital pictures.

Plans for the new law were prompted by the growth of Internet pages showing people secretly filmed naked or partially clothed in swimming pool and changing rooms. The law would not differentiate between photos taken by individuals or pictures taken by paparazzi photographers. ® (http://theregister.co.uk/content/68/35388.html)