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H.R. 414, The Camera Phone Predator Alert Act
Version saved on January 10, 2009, 07:30:14, by webmaster:
H.R. 414 would require mobile phones containing digital cameras to make a sound when a photograph is taken.
Detailed Summary
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Status of the Legislation
Latest Major Action: 1/9/2009: Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Points in Favor
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Points Against
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Visitor Comments
James C Pennington
January 26, 2009, 10:48am (report abuse)This is a bad idea. This could prevent citizens, who might use their phone camera to take pictures of criminals during the commission of a crime, from being able to assist law enforcement in catching criminals.
Twig
January 27, 2009, 8:59am (report abuse)this is just rediculous now what if some one was in danger and the onyl way to let soem one no what is about abvotu to happen is to take a silent picture so they have the face of the person who is threatening them? i mean come on really now if people would watch their children close enough they would not have the problem of predators in the first place, not to mention how loose the school security is. If every phone had to make a noise then alot of things will be stopped from happening like what if soem one is robbing a place and the only way to find out who it is, is by taking a picture yeah like they are just gonna turn around and pose for the camera
eager to troll
January 27, 2009, 9:18am (report abuse)tsk tsk, how is a guy supposed to take pics of his nude GF with out her knowing.
wat
January 27, 2009, 9:45am (report abuse)This is absolutely rediculous. Now anytime I go out to eat i'll hear nothing but the clicking of teenage girls cameraphones. If this passes you should make all large dodge caravans have clear side panels, that would do alot more to protect children from predators than making cell phones more obnoxious for the everyday user.
Just too bad
January 27, 2009, 9:49am (report abuse)Shouldn't we also require video cameras to omit an audible whirling sound so that people cannot be filmed without their knowledge? What about security cameras? Shouldn't they be required to beep so we know we are being watched? Should we outlaw those domes used in Casinos and stores that hide the cameras?
This is just stupid. That that want to take pictures without the sound will get an illegal mod, or use an actual camera.
inc
January 27, 2009, 9:50am (report abuse)@eager to troll: easy just cut out the speaker on the phone.
This just a useless waste of time. Those committing a larger crime them silencing their phone are going to side step this with ease. It is impossible to enforce and is just another example of government getting too large and not focusing on real issues.
Please stop trying to figure out how to limit civil liberties. How about we have laws protecting citizens from predator law enforcement.
J
January 27, 2009, 10:22am (report abuse)My camera clicks now, but all I have to do is turn it on silent mode and all noise goes away. All phone have silent modes, so what's the point.
Grab
January 27, 2009, 10:30am (report abuse)The law is mandating CELLPHONE cameras make a noise but not CAMERAS many of which are smaller and more of a 'threat' than a cell phone.. epic fail
Give me a break
January 27, 2009, 11:25am (report abuse)It's time our legislators get to work on the real issues we are facing..... Stop wasting time on pointless legislation. Give me a break!!
Chuck
January 27, 2009, 12:00pm (report abuse)This is ludicrous - besides the noise being annoying, the law in all 50 states allows people to take photos of anything done in public. So you are trying to prevent people from breaking a law that isn't a law? Ridiculous.
Why
January 27, 2009, 12:05pm (report abuse)a person using a cellphone would need to be near the kids making them retreat to the cars with long lens would give them sanctuary.
Seems like annoy and frustrate the public only to have system foiled by the pervs.
Karen
January 27, 2009, 12:17pm (report abuse)some of us moms love photos when the kids don't think we are looking or if young ones are sleeping-new grandma
Concerned citizen
January 27, 2009, 1:14pm (report abuse)Utter nonsense. This sounds like the usual cheap-shot political point score by pressing the "protect the children" button.
Bill
January 27, 2009, 2:24pm (report abuse)Great idea! As a cop, I hate it when stupid citizens spy on me with their cameras. It could get me into trouble. Cops need a good way to target these low-life creeps before things get on the internet!
Gibson
January 27, 2009, 2:34pm (report abuse)Wonderful idea. Now the next person who gets in trouble for this will break 9 laws instead of 8. Whose idea was this? The anit gun lobbyist?
Let's see some of that "change" we keep hearing about and get to work on real issues.
T
January 27, 2009, 3:30pm (report abuse)This is a great law. I lived in Japan for two years where this law exists and there are hundreds of thousands of men who try to prey on young girls by taking up the skirt shots on the trains or in buses when there is standing-room only.
If you are in a life-threatening situation and you have the presence of mind to whip our your cell phone and try to capture the predator's face on camera you're 1 in a million.
This law does a GREAT job of protecting children and women from predatory men (or women) and the "problems" associated are trivial.
So you will be annoyed that people are snapping photos at a restaurant? What if they are snapping photos of YOU? Wouldn't you like to know it?
Wouldn't you like to know if someone were spying on YOU from across the room?
Make recording _easier_ to hide and you have a bigger problem with big brother and predators than teenage girls annoying you with their circle of friends.
James C Pennington
January 27, 2009, 4:27pm (report abuse)T,
One in a million is good enough for me. If one person can use their cellphone camera to provide assistance to law-enforcement that is more than enough reason to call this bill just what it is - bad.
Jeff
January 27, 2009, 4:27pm (report abuse)This law is just one of many like it to come. They don't like it when citizens catch the police murdering people. That "click" will be their cue to confiscate your camera phone after they have shot someone in the back! Remember Oakland? They can't have that during the fascist takeover!
Mike
January 27, 2009, 7:41pm (report abuse)Let's not treat the innocent like criminals, please. Education is the answer, not legislation.
Scriptmonkey
January 28, 2009, 1:40pm (report abuse)Okay - now that I have stopped laughing and have controlled my bladder because of same - this is the most ridiculous piece of proposed legislation to date - Representative Pete King (R-NY) needs to find some real issues to pursue.
Rob
January 28, 2009, 10:15pm (report abuse)I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than those attending too small a degree of it. - Thomas Jefferson
I'm almost sure our elected officials have more important things to do with their time and OUR money
Gene Cavanaugh
January 28, 2009, 11:02pm (report abuse)This is a terrible law - in fact, it is an infringement on the Constitutional right of privacy. It is well established that anything one can see, one can legally take a picture of in the absence of a prior agreement to the contrary - this abridges that right.
Greg
January 30, 2009, 10:42am (report abuse)as has been said before, stupid anyone wanting to take illegal photos will just silent the speaker. This is just a feel good law that will do nothing.
Concerned Citizen
January 31, 2009, 4:32pm (report abuse)So Congressman Peter T. King of New York wrote this bill...he is serving his eighth term in the U.S. House of Representatives. He must be bored with nothing to do?? He is the Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Committee and also serves on the Financial Services Committee. You would think that he would be too busy with the economy and homeland security issues to be writing such an ignoramus bill - after all, what if a citizen catches him in the wrong and wants to video or photograph him while their cell phone is silent. Seems all of D.C., who are on the tax payers' dollar, has some major ethical problem, so it might be a necessity. Now public servants, please get back to work and do something POSITIVE for the country AND quit spending our money! You might even consider cutting your salaries in half...we're in tough economic times, remember!
Jarrod
September 15, 2009, 3:49pm (report abuse)This is almost as bad as the intrusive new law banning cell phones from government buildings. I was in the Social Security office today and was forced to turn off my iPhone. So they make you SIT there for 30 minutes and don't allow you to pass the time by playing games on your iPhone, text message anyone, twitter, facebook, etc. That's TORTURE! If you don't want me using my phone then don't make me WAIT. I even offered to turn it to airplane mode so it wouldn't have any outside contact, but that wasn't good enough for them. It had to be OFF. Riduculous.
These laws are intrusive and unnecessary.
Willie Ward
October 30, 2009, 7:48am (report abuse)please don't pass this bill. I NEED TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS OF SMALL CHILDREN'S SKIRTS.
Willie Ward Jr.
November 2, 2009, 7:29am (report abuse)oh yeah, my dad wanted to say hi. And he wanted to tell everyone that we live in Palm Harbor, FL. 90% of the population here is white Africans.