Emily Harris, Special to the Register 9:30 a.m. CDT July 8, 2016
Emily Harris.(Photo: Special to the Register)
The internet was recently abuzz with rumors about one of Apple's latest patents.
The granted patent covers technology that would disable an iPhone's camera during concerts or other public events. The patent describes using an infrared beam to knock out a phone's video recording and photography capabilities. To implement the invention, event locations such as concert venues, sports arenas and movie theaters would install infrared transmitters around the stage and phones would be configured to detect the signal and disable the device's camera. Users would see a notice such as "Recording Blocked" or a fuzzy image on the video screen when they pointed their phone's camera at the stage.
It seems that many musicians and performers would embrace this type of jamming technology. Adele, Beyoncé and the Black Crowes have all spoken out to demand that fans refrain from recording during their performances, arguing that watching through a video screen takes away enjoyment at live performances and also creates a nuisance for fellow audience members.
Concerns have also been raised that people may stay home from concerts if they can watch good quality concert videos online. As of now, the only real way to enforce artists' video recording bans is to confiscate devices upon entry at a concert venue. Apple's technology would make enforcement much easier.
Critics of the technology feel that there is a slippery slope between preventing recording during concerts or performances and using the technology to prevent recording of other activities, such as public protests or speeches. The technology raises constitutional concerns about the limits that the jamming technology would place on freedom of speech.
As Apple has consistently fought for its customers' privacy rights and freedom of speech, it would be unusual for Apple to actually deploy this technology. Perhaps filing the patent was merely a strategy to prevent others from developing and using this technology and Apple has no intention of ever using it itself. Implementing this technology would likely put Apple at a competitive disadvantage, as concertgoers who had non-Apple phones would still be able to record.
Apple has not publicly commented on its plans for the invention.
Emily Harris is the general counsel for Metabolic Technologies Inc. in Ames.
Read or Share this story: http://dmreg.co/29nLBGH
Source: Harris: What Apple's iPhone camera disabling tech would do
No comments:
Post a Comment