May
12, 2014 by Jack Blood
Here
is the link to the patent which Apple holds for this technology.
The
rapid emergence of smart phones with high definition cameras leads to
consequences for law-breaking cops.
Recently,
law enforcement throughout the country has been trying to pass laws that would
make it illegal to film them while they’re on duty.
But
Apple is coming out with a new technology that would put all the power in a
cop’s hands.
Apple has patented a piece of technology which
would allow government and police to block transmission of information,
including video and photographs, from any public gathering or venue they deem
“sensitive”, and “protected from externalities.”
¬In
other words, these powers will have control over what can and cannot be
documented on wireless devices during any public event.
And
while the company says the affected sites are to be mostly cinemas, theaters,
concert grounds and similar locations, Apple Inc. also says “covert police or
government operations may require complete ‘blackout’ conditions.”
“Additionally,”
Apple says,” the wireless transmission of sensitive information to a remote
source is one example of a threat to security. This sensitive information could
be anything from classified government information to questions or answers to
an examination administered in an academic setting.”
The
statement led many to believe that authorities and police could now use the
patented feature during protests or rallies to block the transmission of video
footage and photographs from the scene, including those of police brutality,
which at times of major events immediately flood news networks and video
websites.
Apple
patented the means to transmit an encoded signal to all wireless devices,
commanding them to disable recording functions.
Those
policies would be activated by GPS, and WiFi or mobile base-stations, which
would ring-fence (“geofence”) around a building or a “sensitive area” to
prevent phone cameras from taking pictures or recording video.
Apple
may implement the technology, but it would not be Apple’s decision to activate
the “feature” – it would be down governments, businesses and network owners to
set such policies, analyzes ZDNet technology website.
Having
invented one of the most sophisticated mobile devices, Apple now appears to be
looking for ways to restrict its use.
“As
wireless devices such as cellular telephones, pagers, personal media devices
and smartphones become ubiquitous, more and more people are carrying these
devices in various social and professional settings,” it explains in the
patent. “The result is that these wireless devices can often annoy, frustrate,
and even threaten people in sensitive venues.”
The
company’s listed “sensitive” venues so far include mostly meetings, the
presentation of movies, religious ceremonies, weddings, funerals, academic
lectures, and test-taking environments.