Privacy International is calling on all manufacturers of phone camera's to equip the devices with a default flash, to alert people that their picture is taken. PI believes this measure is necessary to avoid endemic privacy abuse. Camera phones are increasingly used to take intimate and private images without consent, often resulting in embarrassment and harm to relationships. Such images can also be used as material for blackmail, revenge and harassment.
Numerous countries have pursued restrictive measures. Only Saudi Arabia created a complete ban on the devices, other countries such as Australia, Taiwan, the United States, the UK and Canada have adopted specific rules to prevent the use in specific places such as changing rooms, swimming pools and schools. The Ministry of Information and Communication of Korea decided last year to oblige the manufacturers to make sure the devices give a mandatory beep of at least 65 decibel whenever a picture is taken.
According to Privacy International, sound warnings, embedded by some manufacturers, won't really stop the problem, because the feature can be disabled or lightly overheard in a noisy environment. On the other hand, a mandatory flash wouldn't damage the picture, since the lens aperture can be regulated by an inbuilt light meter.
Director Simon Davies points out that the threats from phone cameras are 'substantively greater' than those arising from conventional photography. "The ability to covertly capture images and then instantly transmit those images removes any safeguard for the victim", he warns.
On Monday 15 November, the international consumer electronics association, CEA, issued a rather weak phone camera etiquette, advising users to respect other people's privacy. According to most manufacturers (excluding Nokia, not a member of this association) "Camera phones should not be used in public areas considered "private" by those who use them, for example: bathrooms, changing rooms, and gym locker rooms." So much for sauna's, swimming pools and beaches, it seems.
Press release Privacy International (16.11.2004) http://www.privacyinternational.org/mobilephonewarning
Think before you click - campaign CEA (15.11.2004) http://www.ce.org/press_room/press_release_detail.asp?id=10610