Apple granted patent to disable iPhone recordings near government buildings or political events.
(NaturalNews) You might think that the remote vehicle “start” capabilities offered through some car companies, like OnStar via General Motors, for example, is a “cool” thing to have. If so, realize this: A company that can remotely start your vehicle and unlock your door can also remotely shut you out of it or shut it down completely, especially if forced to do so by authorities (who may or may not have a court order to do so). That kind of technology works both ways, so to speak.
That’s an important thing to consider, given the fact that Apple, Inc., was recently granted a patent enabling the company to wirelessly disable the camera function on specific iPhones in certain locations, “sparking fears that such techniques could be used to prevent citizens from communicating with each other or taking video during protests or events such as political conventions and gatherings,” PrisonPlanet.com reported.
In this electronic day and age, just about all of us are aware that cellphone-generated video is easy to take and easy to upload to an audience of millions within moments. Most of us have seen the cellphone video of a fight or a confrontation or another impactful incident involving civilians and authorities. It’s a powerful medium that very often offers a point of view not available to the mainstream media – but carried by them, nonetheless.
That may all be about to change.
Freedom is not a given
Theoretically, according to U.S. Patent No. 8,254,902, published recently, “apparatus and methods of enforcement of policies upon a wireless device” could be implemented with the flick of an electronic switch.
According to the patent:
Apparatus and methods for changing one or more functional or operational aspects of a wireless device, such as upon the occurrence of a certain event. In one embodiment, the event comprises detecting that the wireless device is within range of one or more other devices. In another variant, the event comprises the wireless device associating with a certain access point. In this manner, various aspects of device functionality may be enabled or restricted (device “policies”). This policy enforcement capability is useful for a variety of reasons, including for example to disable noise and/or light emanating from wireless devices (such as at a movie theater), for preventing wireless devices from communicating with other wireless devices (such as in academic settings), and for forcing certain electronic devices to enter “sleep mode” when entering a sensitive area.
What that means is, an encoded signal could possibly be transmitted to all wireless devices entering “a sensitive area” (and who defines what that is?) which would command them to disable all recording functions.
Feeling safer now?
The fear, obviously, is that this capability can and will be used by authorities at given times to control what you can and cannot document on your personal device, based on their whims and needs.
Not a good development for those who love freedom.
Just when technology was set to make more of the world instantly accessible…
This development comes on top of an innovation by technology companies to make wireless connectivity a major component of the latest cameras; this would not bode well for photographers and citizen journalists who are already having their first and fourth amendment rights trampled.
Says Michael Zhang at the tech site Peta Pixel:
“If this type of technology became widely adopted and baked into cameras, photography could be prevented by simply setting a ‘geofence’ around a particular location, whether it’s a movie theater, celebrity hangout spot, protest site, or the top secret rooms at 1 Infinite Loop, Cupertino, California.”
The same site offers some soothing advice as well:
“Companies often file patents for all kinds of random technologies that never end up seeing the light of day, so you shouldn’t be too concerned about this latest document. It’s just a warning of what the future could potentially hold.”
Knowledge is power. We’ll be keeping an eye on this development for our readers.
Sources:
http://www.prisonplanet.com
http://www.petapixel.com
http://www.petapixel.com
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/037220_iPhone_recordings_patent.html#ixzz26m26yUsS
Credit: Naturalnews.com
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Sep 17, 2012 @ 23:58:07
so the police could have blocking devises on their vehicles or even built in to uniforms to prevent you filming them while they beat people.
Sep 17, 2012 @ 23:59:27
Another step has been taken in the steady march toward fascism. Be very afraid.
Sep 19, 2012 @ 19:00:23
I hope this is sarcasm, because fascism has been alive and well in America since it's founding. We just typically use the PC term, Christianity.
Sep 18, 2012 @ 00:10:38
Yet another reason not to own an iPhone…more sheeple control..!!!
Sep 19, 2012 @ 04:44:59
Don't go getting to comfortable. Plenty of control exists in non-Apple devices. Just because the media does not cover it, does not mean it is not there.
Sep 19, 2012 @ 04:45:55
*too
Sep 19, 2012 @ 15:55:27
^^this guy owns an iphone
Sep 19, 2012 @ 18:58:05
Actually, I haven't owned an Apple product in years. Nor shall I, now that Steve is gone. Apple is now going to bury themselves in mediocrity that gains nothing and will continue to over charge for it. Tim Cook is a bean-counter. No more, no less. Apple will realize that without a visionary or a messiah to woo the crowd and convert the masses, they will have to either shut their doors or start lowering their prices. I doubt that will happen soon and by then who knows what will have happened to the tech industry.
Sep 18, 2012 @ 00:12:26
Ok, so, hook up a digital camera, with or without a Bluetooth or USB, to your camera. Video record in segments and upload to YouTube, or Ustream. Not very hard people. There are ways around this. THINK.
Sep 19, 2012 @ 12:45:08
So that makes it ok? Why not just use a different phone than doing all the extra steps? Think Sean.
Sep 19, 2012 @ 12:45:08
So that makes it ok? Why not just use a different phone than doing all the extra steps? Think Sean.
Sep 20, 2012 @ 01:18:57
True, you could do that Doug, but why not be prepared when they stop all phones from being able to ustream. Im sure that is just around the corner.
Dec 05, 2012 @ 12:13:16
I'm fairly certain that people in war-torn countries/cities already have enough trouble getting a modern phone with a decent camera, without having to also carry a digital camera while trying to film their own government exploiting and murdering those who do not fall in line.
Sep 18, 2012 @ 00:25:19
Sure, its only a patent filing for now. But dammed scary and certainly something we should all be worried about. For me personally, in combination with Apple's aggressive and IMHO misguided patent attacks on Samsung, one more reason to dislike, distrust Apple and avoid their products.
"The fear, obviously, is that this capability can and will be used by authorities at given times to control what you can and cannot document on your personal device, based on their whims and needs."
Sep 18, 2012 @ 00:56:30
YIKES!
Sep 18, 2012 @ 17:33:54
Apple has applied for the patent but that doesn't eliminate the possibility that ALL phones could be disabled in the same way.
Sep 18, 2012 @ 21:00:42
Wowzaz
Sep 19, 2012 @ 03:48:42
Wow! Not good!!
Sep 19, 2012 @ 03:48:42
Wow! Not good!!
Sep 18, 2012 @ 22:05:52
Anyone who owns the patent on a technology may also prevent its use by others. If Apple's patent is granted, and that is far from assured, they could use it to keep government agents from doing the very things that we are all concerned about.
Sep 19, 2012 @ 22:23:34
There is one exception. 28 USC 1498, concerning uses of patents or copyrights, when the use is ** by or for the government **. Under this statute the US government does not have to seek a license or negotiate for use of a patent or copyright. Any federal employee can use or authorize the use of a patent or a copyright. The rightowner is entitled to compensation, but cannot enjoin the government or a third party authorized by the government, to prevent the use. Any contractor, subcontractor, person, firm, or corporation who receives authorization from the federal government to use patents or copyrights is construed as use by the federal government, and cannot be sued for infringement. [cptech.org]
Sep 19, 2012 @ 00:35:44
Booooo! WTFT? How did Apple go from a cutting-edge under-dog company that specialized in art and music to a tool of "the establishment?" Shame on Apple if it does any more than merely possess this patent.
Sep 19, 2012 @ 00:35:44
Booooo! WTFT? How did Apple go from a cutting-edge under-dog company that specialized in art and music to a tool of "the establishment?" Shame on Apple if it does any more than merely possess this patent.
Sep 19, 2012 @ 00:38:58
And you so yearn for that little white pile of silicon
Sep 19, 2012 @ 00:38:58
And you so yearn for that little white pile of silicon
Sep 19, 2012 @ 00:41:03
I did.
Sep 19, 2012 @ 00:57:22
Apple has always been a problem to me. They don't allow lot's of different system changes like you can do in windows. They don't have an open source code so no third party vendors. If they were to take over the market they would be able to set whatever price they wanted on hardware and the like cause there's no competition. They have a monopolistic view on technology and always have. They build computers for dumbies. The reason I say that is because a guy like me who knows quite a bit about computers isn't allowed to set it up how I want like I can with a pc. They are a disease to the advancement of technology. period.
Sep 19, 2012 @ 12:08:41
Yeah…scientists, educators, web developers, video editors, audio engineers.. just to name a few of the "dumbies" that use Apple computers… I say use what you like and gets the job done, whether it be Windows, Mac OS, Linux, etc. The above article, however, is disturbing to say the least.
Sep 19, 2012 @ 12:26:12
Just put your phone into "air plane" mode. Problem solved!
Sep 19, 2012 @ 12:29:48
Vincent I am an Audio Engineer. I didn't say users of mac are dumb. I said macs were built for dumbies. There's a difference.
Sep 19, 2012 @ 12:29:48
Vincent I am an Audio Engineer. I didn't say users of mac are dumb. I said macs were built for dumbies. There's a difference.
Sep 19, 2012 @ 13:04:00
We need to break our relationships with these companies (it's a matter of sovereignty… ours or theirs at the expense of ours).
http://www.defectivebydesign.org/what_is_drm
Sep 19, 2012 @ 13:04:00
We need to break our relationships with these companies (it's a matter of sovereignty… ours or theirs at the expense of ours).
http://www.defectivebydesign.org/what_is_drm
Feb 09, 2013 @ 02:56:46
wow…
Feb 09, 2013 @ 03:00:16
Emailing to some friends who are not on FB.
Dec 05, 2012 @ 06:55:07
Nice tech is coming! Keep going to be a "sheep" by using Apple products…
Dec 10, 2012 @ 10:02:52
How come I can't find it here then:
http://www.uspto.gov/