Cameras everywhere, even in online maps

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I agee with you, and I don't

First, the gun issue. I, too, found it incredulous that John Zern chose this thread to bring up gun control, even though your post leads me to believe you're far less of an advocate of gun control than I am.

I completely agree with you that the first step of gun control is education, but with all due respect, if you truly believe that you "have shot proofed (your) children," I fear that you may be in for a shock down the road. I sincerely hope nothing ever happens, but my realization is that it could. I'm sure you've considerably lessened the chances that they might be harmed by guns (especially by their own hand), but...

I will not dwell on this subject any longer - it belongs in another forum.

As to the original reason for this thread, comparing Google's images with Orwellian tactics is just as incredulous as John Zern's comment, and downright absurd. This is not surveillance of people, it's strictly for the purpose of getting street-level images of landmarks and points of interest. The problem lies with the fact that it's impossible to get these images without including people going about their daily lives around those objects.

Actually, the Constitution, in the opinion of the courts, protects the freedom to use cameras in public arenas. It's called freedom of speech. The people who drew up the Constitution had no concept of the future ability to capture, preserve, and publish a visual image, but they understood the freedom of going about your daily life. If one were required to get the permission of anyone and everyone who might be included in their frame when they aimed a camera, it would be impossible to take 90% of the shots a photographer - amateur or professional - takes. It's just as easy to offend someone with words as it is to capture their image and inadvertently share it with a third person they'd rather not have see them in that situation.

Just as the freedom of speech has no consideration for whether you're speaking in a public or private forum, photography isn't controlled whether you're shooting in the privacy of your own home or on a public street - so long as you're not trying to take snapshots of the privacy of someone else's home without their knowledge. Again, that's not something Google is attempting.

One particluar quote of yours caught my eye: "Because eventually the cameras will start to move into the office then your homes."

I hate to break the news to you, but cameras have been moving into offices for years. I don't necessarily like it, but I understand the reasons for it. I'm reasonably assured they're not surveilling me, or I'm afraid I might have been escorted out by now. (Passing my workday posting here could be one reason for that action.) Also, it's possible (and perfectly legal) for someone in your immediate family to surreptitiously place a camera in your home if they suspect you are doing something illegal or offensive to them. However, it is in no way legal for governmental authorities to place cameras on private property without a court order, or the explicit permission of an owner of the property.

On another note, if you'd like to consider the Bush adminstration's authorization of warrantless wiretaps, the paragraph above - in regards to government video surveillance of private property - might prove innacurate. Personally, I think warrantless wiretaps (among other tactics used by this administration) are highly unconstitutional. But, again, this is a matter for a different forum...

Posted by: Zeppo9191   Posted on: 05/31/07 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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