March 7, 2003
You're in the Picture
Mobile phones that send and receive images are the latest threat to privacy, a must read article by Bruno Giussani in Time of Febuary 24,
"Welcome to the era of mobile-phone spying. As digital cameras have invaded the mainstream in recent years, concerns about privacy and Web-based voyeurism have been growing. But as a range of mobile phones with the ability to take, send and receive color digital photos and videos hits the market, those concerns are accelerating.
Japanese train commuters have been caught snapping pictures under women's skirts; in Saudi Arabia, a governmental commission has forbidden camera phones altogether; and in Italy, the government's delegate for privacy is drafting a camera phone-specific recommendation.
Most of the discussion about camera phones so far has focused on their benefits: send a wireless postcard to a friend, or snap a picture of a damaged car for insurance purposes. But the cases of abuse suggest that technology is empowering the voyeur."
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