Watch Out! Soon Cops Can Turn-Off iPhone Cameras | TechTree.com

Watch Out! Soon Cops Can Turn-Off iPhone Cameras

Apple patent would allow governments to prevent video, image capture

 

Over the years, cellphone cameras have become powerful weapons to capture live action, from paid concerts to law and order issues and a lot more. Not only does the smartphone fit snugly into one’s pocket, the vastly improved quality of pictures and videos have resulted in driving cameras to obsolescence.

However, use of cameras for capturing events could become a thing of the past, if one were to go by the implications of a patent that Apple has received recently (See it here).

Going by the description provided by the US Patent Office, the new invention would allow authorities to prevent the capture of videos by jamming the iPhone’s recording feature using an infrared signal.

There have been several instances in recent public memory of cell phones being used to capture incidents on smartphones that have later been used as evidence in courts of law. There have also been instances of paid events being captured on such cameras, thus overturning copyright on its head.

With the new invention, the police or any other authority would be able to block the recording device of the iPhone cameras during instances where it is felt that such filming could be against the interest of security and good governance.

Of course, analysts are divided in how such an innovation could impact users in general. While regular filming and sharing would not get affected, there is every likelihood that organizers of paid events such as concerts or cricket matches might have the infrared jammers in place to stop filming.

A report published on Inverse.com says the company has claimed that the innovation is designed to prevent filming of events such as concerns of other paid programs (Read the Full Story here).

However, given that the smartphones have become tools of protest across the world, it remains to be seen what human rights activists would have to say about such a move from Apple.

Also, the question that pops up immediately is how the Cupertino-based tech giant hopes to reconcile its latest move, which appears pro-establishment, with its stated position on privacy and security that is being played out in a legal battle with the US Federal Government (Read the NY Times Report). 


TAGS: Apple, Apple iPhone, iPhone cameras, Cupertino, US Patent Office, US Federal Government

 
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