OT: Google cars caught snooping

OTOH, it may be a tactic for HR types to raid competitors.

Reply to
krw
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Yeah, I think about this any time I am at an airport, etc.

"Hmmm... these (faceless) people now will have unrestricted access to a connector on my machine. Do I think they are benevolent? Why are they *giving* this service away??"

Reply to
D Yuniskis

it

All kinds of dirty tricks can result from an act like that. ;-)

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Anyone wanting to run for any political office in the US should have to
have a DD214, and a honorable discharge.
Reply to
Michael A. Terrell

Carry your real data on a DVD or USB stick, then fill the hard drive with out of date designs, and fraudulent data. ;-)

--
Anyone wanting to run for any political office in the US should have to
have a DD214, and a honorable discharge.
Reply to
Michael A. Terrell

That's very interesting about a legal requirements to make a shutter sound with a cell phone. I hadn't ever considered that, but I can understand why such a requirement might appeal to some. That said, ATM cameras, and any number of security and other cameras make no sounds, and are presumably just as big a "threat" to privacy. Camcorders are silent too, for that matter.

I have some friends in that industry. Being an avid photographer myself (but NEVER with a crappy phone camera!), I'll ask around. If you know the exact regs, I'd love to read 'em!

-mpm

Reply to
mpm

Wasn't Google collecting this data in the past, over the course of several years? I mean, they didn't do all that Street View driving at once.

Google has recently gotten into the mobile phone fray. Perhaps the original intent was just to do some basic marketing - to test the waters about whether wireless telecom was a good sector to muscle their way in to?

Also, how much data was it? I though I read 600GB? Is that right? If so, that's 600GB spread across 30 countries, and several years... With a Street View vehicle at 30 mph outside the house, best case. I'm not exactly worried.

I would actually be more inclined to worry about the Bush-era illegal wiretaps, or my ISP eavsdropping for that matter! Sometimes, folks will equate anything "big" with "bad". And it doesn't get much bigger than Google.

-mpm

Reply to
mpm

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de quoted text -

YOU BEING THE MULTINYM TROLL THAT YOU ARE MAKES YOU AN EXPERT ON THESE MATTERS, RIGHT?

BTW I AM GENITICALLY ENGINEERED ENTITY THE ONLY CLEANING NEEDED IS YOU OUT OF HERE ALL TOGETHER

YOU ARE SO WRONG YOU ARE THE LAUGHING STOCK OF YOUR SOCIETY

DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND AUTODESTRUCT IT WILL SAVE YOU FROM ANY FURTHER EMBARRASMENT

I AM PROTEUS

Reply to
Proteus IIV

quoted text -

You're an idiot.

Reply to
WarmUnderbelly

Unless your ATM use cases are significantly different from those familiar to me, I doubt you have ever taken an picture up someone's skirt (kilt?) with an ATM camera. The reason for the law is to prevent surreptitious locker room and similar pictures being taken. The Netherlands is one such jurisdiction. Japan's law says something like "cameras that don't look like cameras must make a shutter sound" too.

Reply to
larwe

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This is precious! Proteus calling someone else the laughing stock!

Reply to
mpm

I recall hearing something about Google's Street View having to re- image Japan (Germany, maybe?, I forget exactly), because the cameras on their vehicles were mounted too high and could see over people's fences. IIRC, Google agreed to lower the cameras and re-image the countryside...

I'm not disagreeing with you, BTW. And I wouldn't be surprised to see an ordinance about mandatory shutter sounds on cell phone cameras and similar devices. (Actually, I think I would be surprised to see such a law in the United States!)

More likely, I would think manufacturer's put those camera-emulating sounds in as a way to provide user feedback, in an effort so stem the tide of warranty returns and/or consumers inquires relating to camera use. This, since most people don't read and/or understand instruction manuals anymore. But make it sound like a camera, and people don't need to read instructions.

Reply to
mpm

Just an update:

A quick Google search seems to confirm what I thought - In the US, there is no federal law that requires cell phone cameras to make an audible sound when snapping pictures.

Link:

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A bill was introduced last year, but it has not made it out of committee.

Of course, as a practical matter, manufacturers of camera-equipped cell phones may not be motivated to turn off that "feature" for US markets when they are still required for other markets. Besides the obvious inventory problems that would create, most consumers probably appreciate the feature anyway.

And of course, H.R.414 misses the mark anyway. The US is so hung up on anything sexual as it is, I wonder if the bill's sponsors think the legislation would do anything about teen "sexting".?

-mpm

Reply to
mpm

quoted text -

Well, it was DimBulb.

Reply to
krw

You are only about two years behind the curve, lame dumbfuck.

Reply to
Archimedes' Lever

Update: Apparently, you can disable the shutter click sound on the iPhone (US). This according to an engineer friend who works for AT&T. I don't have an iPhone myself, so I can't independently confirm or deny.

I have Sprint, and I'm very please to say, my handset DOES NOT have a camera in it! I think that would drive me crazy! I much prefer my Nikon.

Reply to
mpm

I heard that in the case where ACORN got recorded with audio in some states that prohibited audio recording, there were lots of attorneys ready and willing to argue that ACORN people caught in the act had no reasonable expectation of privacy.

In the case of citizens recording government agents in the performance of their duties there seems to be caselaw supporting BOTH sides.

My personal view is that government actors should ONLY have privacy when they are in the restroom or otherwise off-duty.

Prosecutors should have NO descretion when it comes to government actors who commit perjury, either.

Reply to
Greegor

Of course. The US does not have legislation on the subject.

The best camera in the world is the one you have with you. The iPhone

3GS camera is as good as the point and shoots of a few years ago, and it's connected - take a photo at t=3D0, share it with the world at t=3D+1 sec. I almost never carry a separate camera these days. The market for low-end point and shoots

I don't need extra crap to carry - I want a phone (well, not so much for voice, just for SMS), an email device, a web browser, an MP3 player and a camera on me at all times and I want it all in one device.

Reply to
larwe

In the case of the helmet cam criminal charge, I seem to recall that the footage caught some bad behavior on the part of the cop.

The City here REMOVED dozens of completely working dash cam systems from Police cars.

Law-Enforcement agencies that rejoiced about those cameras a few years back seem to be pedaling the other way about dash cams.

The cameras seem to have caught lots of BAD behavior by cops and assisted HUGE law suits against cities and Police departments.

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Hope Steffey case in Stark County OH

An interesting part of this video is that you can see another camera being operated yet when the tape was subpoena'd they miraculously did not have the tape.

Recent U of Maryland recording caught cops

The LEO's wrote reports with a FABRICATED story. Then this tape surfaced.

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There have also been lots of problems where law enforcement was getting sued and claimed that the cam was conveniently turned off or had conveniently supposedly failed.

Reply to
Greegor

Restrooms? Where do you think all the deals get done? :)

Reply to
mpm

I can certainly understand that. I'm in my mid-40's and if I had to guess, I would estimate you're in your early to mid 30's?? Justification: There is actually a clear dividing line (generational) between folks who prefer SMS over voice, convenience over functionality, etc... It's difficult for me to wrap my thoughts sometimes around the fact that my niece and nephews will grow up in a world that (for them) has never not know the Internet!

But at the rate things are going, pretty soon (my early 50's I imagine!), I don't think I'm going to want any of this crap. Well, maybe I keep the camera gear. But the PC's, the soldering irons, the plethora of technical doo-dads (crap, mostly)... ALL OF IT GOES!! Do a little traveling... basically UNPLUG.

Then, when I get to be Jim Thompson's age, I'll can just sit back and sip red wine all day long. (and bitch about politics). :)

Reply to
mpm

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