Congressman wants camera phones to beepFollow

New York Representative Peter King (R-NY) has introduced a bill requiring all new cell phones to make an audible sound detectable from "a reasonable radius" whenever the camera is used. This is theoretically to protect victims of covert photography in locker rooms, etc. However, it also makes it problematic to covertly use a cell phone to photograph an attacker, other criminal behavior, record police misconduct, etc.

There are other small cameras available. Are they going to have to beep as well?

And then someone will start selling customized beeps on the intertubes.

Edited to just say ... the man is not busy enough if he had time to prep that bill.

Edited, Jan 27th 2009 2:44pm by GwynapNud

I'm trying to manage a tricky dilemma that's sort of related.

For the last 15 years our hospitals have heavily restricted the use of cell phones, using the argument that they could have an adverse interaction with life-saving medical equipment.

By a pure coinkydink, hospitals then charged patients inordinately high fees to make phone calls, even charging them for incoming calls. All this while taking thousands of moneys from cell-phone companies to mount transmission masts on the roof of the hospital.

Surprise, surprise. Now we've proven that cell-phones have almost no risk to medical devices (apart from a few Intensive Care devices, and then only if within a few feet). Cell-phones are now, quite rightly, to be allowed in hospital wards so patients can keep in touch with their loved ones.

Snag - many phones have a camera so privacy and confidentiality (ex-very-stremely important in healthcare settings) are highly compromised.

Do we allow phones into hospitals willy-nilly and hope for the best, ban camera-phones, or invade Alaskastan?
Hmmmm.

I'm sorry can I call you back?

In the U.S. several cases have gone to court and the general rule is that one cannot legally snap a picture of someone else without their approval in any place where a reasonable level of privacy can be expected. A hospital would clearly count as one of those places, so you'd have some legal protection there, but people are still free to break the law, of course.

Mr. King is just standing up for all the congressmen who don't want to get caught on corruption charges.




uh...no. Can you see why this is a dumb idea?




Edited, Jan 27th 2009 6:30pm by Timelordwho

Not sure of this exactly, but the camera phone stuff doesn't surprise me. More and more hospitals aren't allowing cameras in for ultrasounds or the birth to avoid their use in malpractice lawsuits. I know we couldn't take pictures at Hannah's ultrasound appointments that included the actual ultrasound (we could take photos of me, but not of the equipment).

Nexa

It is law in Japan and as result is implemented practically everyplace else.

I would think a camera phone would have the same limitations. It'd likely be easier for Nobby's hospitals to allow cellphones with some rules, than not allow them and have people sneaking both pictures and calls. It may require some refresher training on dealing with confidential records, but really medical professionals should not be allowing people access to them anyways, with or without a spy camera.

I don't see anything wrong with it. They passed a similar law in Iceland or Finland or somewhere a few years back. Some Nordic country. It is knucklehead stuff, but it makes sense.

Give all conscious patients a very short and simple paragraph to sign on a single piece of paper.

"Because of the right of all patients to their privacy and medical confidentiality, I hereby agree not to take photographs in the hospital that show any part of any person, apart from myself, my family, and my friends." This will take money to administer, and space to store all the slips, precisely when you are loosing hospital telephone income. But it does cover both the bases. So do you have the funds for it?

Put up a large sign in all the lobbies and liftwells of the hospitals that read: "As a visitor entering this hospital, I agree not to photograph anyone in this hospital apart from my friends and family"

Have a short TV/radio/print advertising campaign for the issue.

"Mobile phones still need to be kept a few feet away from intensive care equipment. But they are now allowed in hospitals so loved ones can keep in touch at this important time. To protect the privacy and medical confidentiality of all patients, it is required that you restrict all photographs taken to yourself, your family, and your friends, whilst on hospital grounds."

Edited, Jan 30th 2009 7:37am by Aripyanfar

Edited, Jan 30th 2009 9:17am by Aripyanfar