UPDATE Sept 14th, 2012
Related post from ZeroHedge.com on Sept. 4th, 2012: Find Out If Your Apple Device Was Among The 12 Million Units Hacked And Tracked By The FBI
RT.com shared the following:
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.
Apple isn’t sounding all that appealing right about now, is it? - Kate
That’s why you should always jailbreak your iPhone, or get root access on your Android phone. It ensures that you are the one that retains control over your device. I can guarantee that there will be apps out there that counteract things like this.
Even cell phone companies know who runs the show…
since when are pirates broadcasting from the theater? bullshit excuse is bullshit.
I am on my way to buy an Ipad an Iphone right now! Just took out a 401k loan! woohoo!
the government definitely has too much power now.
@DK, what do you mean now? They have been operating beyond their legal reach for decades.
BTO, I do not disagree. In stating the obvious, i’m hoping that the other sheeple beyond this sphere of the interwebs will see.
This is just flat out scary. We have technology that is extremely helpful during emergency situations that most likely will be blocked whenever our government deems necessary. I hope that another company finds a way to create a phone that is not affected by this new apple product.
Bawkbagawk, if you’ve seen “haji” movies in Iraq, you’d know. I saw plenty of movies that were filmed in the theater by a smartphone, usually a couple of days after they came out.
remember there are “low tech solutions to high tech survillance”.
Like don’t use a phone.
Ahh, just more fascism in Amerika.
So….buy a digital camera instead of using your phone or other “wireless” device.
Do you guys even read this stuff????
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.
You can still record anything you want, the technology only BLOCKS THE TRANSMISSION…
In other words, read the 1st sentence of your “article” before you write the second.
To: PSOSGT
Do you even read this stuff???
Refer to paragraph 6: “Apple patented the means to transmit an encoded signal to all wireless devices, commanding them to disable recording functions.”
Disable RECORDING functions as well as block transmissions.
Dan has a good solution…or get a non-Apple device.
I guess you shouldn’t have bought an iPhone. Use a 35mm instead.
actual cameras without wifi etc wont be affected. so at protests we just need to have “runners” to take our saved files to the nearest net cafe and upload from there. @ John Q. Public; that’s MR. Bawkbagawk to you.
Bawkbagawk, hahahaha. You got jokes.
This is one of the problems with using a service provided by a company who operates at the mercy of the State.
They’re almost always going to take the site of the State when it comes to privacy issues.
Don’t like it? Don’t use their service.
now we know the REAL reason why samsung lost to apple:Apple has their lipson the blue dick.
Well, what they really do not want is the ability to have things leave the phone BEFORE they can get to it. That’s the part that just excites the hell out of the Police. They could care less about anyone else. That’s just incidental.
Password, phone, and sim card. So if they take it, they cannot get to anything. But that should be done anyway in case of theft.
If you want serious photos of an event anyway, you cannot really trust a cell phone camera. The sensors not big enough for anything other than snapshots. However if you are stuck on a cell phone, and they want to shut down the ability to send data, scout the area before the event, and find wifi signals to piggy back on to. And use them. And shut down your Data link before going to the event if you can. I am not sure how else they could send the signal to you. I am not much of a phone guy.
But if they can shut down taking a photo all together, then use a dedicated Camera.
Oh, and Apple, after this little stunt, I will not consider you for products in the future. I am sure that this little device will also be used out of the US and screw people over there by oppressive governments as well. Thanks a lot.