This thread got me to wondering about something.
Most of the time, when there’s a date/time stamp on a video in one of these clip shows, it’s fuzzed out to make it unreadable. Why on earth would they do this? It’s not a brand name or a logo.
Are they trying to maybe disguise that the clips are 20 years old and have already appeared ten thousand times on previous “Most Outrageous/Funniest Home Videos” episodes?
Yes, I think so - it not only disguises the age of the clip, but also the age of the edited program going forward - when they resell it to other networks.
Possibly also sometimes also because the timestamp is meaningless if the camera never had its date set properly.
It could also be that the person set up their camera to display their name, or “Debbie’s Birthday Party”, or what have you, and the net work is respecting their privacy. I’ve also seen that in reality-cop shows, where the time and date are readable, but the officer’s name is blurred.
So why do they blur license plates? It not like they are confidential, hanging off the back of every car on the road. If I had a nefarious plan that required license plate numbers, I could get all I wanted in the Wal*Mart parking lot.
But if you had a nefarious plan that involved that person’s specific license plate you’re foiled. Likewise if you take it into your head that the spouse-beater on COPS needs to be taught a lesson; blurring the license plate helps protect that person’s identity.
The COPS TV show disclaimer is, “COPS is filmed on location with the men and women of law enforcement. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.”
Even suspects are afforded rights, one of them being privacy. You will note that full names are not mentioned on camera, either. Also, those suspects and witnesses who don’t sign a film waiver have their faces blurred.
Besides, who is to know that the displayed license plate could be stolen? Should an innocent party’s license plate be displayed?
I was under the impression that at least one of the reasons why they blur license plates on cars is to make the clips marketable internationally. These “funniest home videos” shows are produced very cheaply; producers buy the videos in bulks from copyright holders anywhere, including foreign stations which have already used them in their shows. The clips will appear a bit more “real” and closer to everyday life to an international audience if they don’t see strange looking (to them) foreign plates.
And yes, I know that the average American city or suburb still looks different from the average European one, so you could probably deduce from the look of the neighborhood where the film was shot. Yet, I think that things such as license plates are much clearer indicators.