# Camera Phone Predator Alert Act benefits Predators not Prey **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 26, 2009, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camera-phone-predator-alert-act-benefits-predators-not-prey/483121 "2009-01-26T21:03:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camera-phone-predator-alert-act-benefits-predators-not-prey/483121/1 "2009-01-26T21:03:27Z")
[This bill](http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.414:) would make it so that all cell phone camera phones would make a shutter click sound when a picture is taken. This is allegedly helps alert victims that a photo is being taken, preventing covert up the skirt shots to go unnoticed. This bill also would make it so that someone being victimized trying to use a cell phone camera to get evidence or alert others of the situation would notify the predator and face retaliation and possible destruction of the image before it could be transferred. This is a bad idea. The law only covers cell phone cameras, so the little spy cameras so prevalent are not affected, only those attached to a cell phone, so if a predator uses one of them, no click. This is a bad idea, harms more than it helps and is placing a needless limit that nibbles away at what freedom we have left. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camera-phone-predator-alert-act-benefits-predators-not-prey/483121/2 "2009-01-26T22:23:04Z")
Maybe the phones could be fitted with an accelarometer so that they only make the click sound when the camera is facing upwards. ---
**Author:** ![EasyPhil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47c2d/32.png) [@EasyPhil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EasyPhil)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camera-phone-predator-alert-act-benefits-predators-not-prey/483121/3 "2009-01-26T22:26:37Z")
Now abusive police or other wrong doers can now know exactly who’s taking a picture. What about the VIDEO?! ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camera-phone-predator-alert-act-benefits-predators-not-prey/483121/4 "2009-01-26T22:31:08Z")
I had not previously heard of the bill’s sponsor, [Rep. Pete King](http://peteking.house.gov/), but he’s now on my radar as a complete moron. Welcome aboard, Congressman. ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_Astronaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Bad\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camera-phone-predator-alert-act-benefits-predators-not-prey/483121/5 "2009-01-26T22:43:53Z")
I thought this was already the case - I’ve never seen a cell phone camera with the option of disabling the click sound (although they offer various different sounds to choose from). I’ve also seen cell phone unlocking websites advertise the ability to remove click sounds. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camera-phone-predator-alert-act-benefits-predators-not-prey/483121/6 "2009-01-26T22:45:27Z")
> [@EasyPhil](#): > > Now abusive police or other wrong doers can now know exactly who’s taking a picture. [Yup](http://carlosmiller.com/2009/01/21/do-police-have-the-right-to-confiscate-your-camera/). People know that cameras don’t actually steal people’s souls, right? Because people really are starting to lose their shit these days if someone has a camera. Gets a little old. ---
**Author:** ![brad\_d](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@brad\_d](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brad_d)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camera-phone-predator-alert-act-benefits-predators-not-prey/483121/7 "2009-01-26T22:48:40Z")
I just took a picture with my Palm Centro to confirm - the sound can be turned off. It’s presently silent when a shot is taken. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camera-phone-predator-alert-act-benefits-predators-not-prey/483121/8 "2009-01-26T22:48:54Z")
I’m not concerned about the erosion of freedoms here (I don’t consider myself to have an inalienable right to a silent camera). I just think it’s a shit idea. It makes the devices unpleasant to use, and surely is very easily circumvented by anyone determined enough to want to take candid pervy photos. It hurts, and it’s not going to work. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camera-phone-predator-alert-act-benefits-predators-not-prey/483121/9 "2009-01-26T22:52:26Z")
> [@Bad\_Astronaut](#): > > I thought this was already the case - I’ve never seen a cell phone camera with the option of disabling the click sound (although they offer various different sounds to choose from). I’ve also seen cell phone unlocking websites advertise the ability to remove click sounds. I have a Palm Centro and the “click” can be muted. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camera-phone-predator-alert-act-benefits-predators-not-prey/483121/10 "2009-01-26T22:56:04Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I just think it’s a shit idea. I’m remembering last week when they set up a bigscreen at City Hall to watch the Obama inauguration. You had to concentrate to really hear anything as is. Add in 1,000 beeps and clicks and shit, it would’ve been awful. (Bad enough are people who already set their cameras to beep or click or fart with_out_ being legally obligated to.) ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camera-phone-predator-alert-act-benefits-predators-not-prey/483121/11 "2009-01-26T23:00:15Z")
It’s an embarrasing sound. It speaks “I have a phone or cheap camera pretending to be an SLR” I turned off the shutter sounds on any non-SLR cameras I owned. If the thing has no mirrors to flip or audible moving parts then why _sumulate_ what is essentially a necesary evil of having a proper camera?? Or ‘simulate’ even. ---
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camera-phone-predator-alert-act-benefits-predators-not-prey/483121/12 "2009-01-26T23:52:24Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > It’s an embarrasing sound. It speaks “I have a phone or cheap camera pretending to be an SLR” I turned off the shutter sounds on any non-SLR cameras I owned. If the thing has no mirrors to flip or audible moving parts then why _sumulate_ what is essentially a necesary evil of having a proper camera?? > > Or ‘simulate’ even. Even SLRs have gotten much quieter. Ours is not really audible from a few feet away. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camera-phone-predator-alert-act-benefits-predators-not-prey/483121/13 "2009-01-27T00:08:08Z")
This reminds me of the regulation they had (or proposed - I forget which) requiring that seat belts be buckled before the car engine would start. The question that killed it was: “what if a woman is running from a rapist and has to stop to buckle her seatbelt before she can flee?” The question for this bill is: “what if a cell phone owner is witnessing a crime, but is afraid to gather the evidence that might bring the criminals to justice because the picture will be announced to the criminals?” ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camera-phone-predator-alert-act-benefits-predators-not-prey/483121/14 "2009-01-27T00:12:13Z")
> [@Bad\_Astronaut](#): > > I thought this was already the case - I’ve never seen a cell phone camera with the option of disabling the click sound (although they offer various different sounds to choose from). I’ve also seen cell phone unlocking websites advertise the ability to remove click sounds. I don’t know how to get mine to make a sound when I take a picture. ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camera-phone-predator-alert-act-benefits-predators-not-prey/483121/15 "2009-01-27T00:22:07Z")
The cell phone companies, and the lobbyists they employ, will do one of two things. Most likely they’ll kill this one in committee, where it should die, because it’s stupid, burdensome, and not likely to be effective. If they don’t, I’m betting they get it rewritten so they can charge a “Federal Predator Alert Act Surcharge” to cover their costs of implementing this regulation. They’ll pad their bottom line and consumers will not really benefit. Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camera-phone-predator-alert-act-benefits-predators-not-prey/483121/16 "2009-01-27T00:32:34Z")
Sounds like a solution in search of a problem. I’m sure somewhere, somehow someone has used their cell phone camera to take a perverted picture. However, this doesn’t require legislation. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ad7895/32.png) [@Just\_Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camera-phone-predator-alert-act-benefits-predators-not-prey/483121/17 "2009-01-27T00:37:31Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > It’s an embarrasing sound. It speaks “I have a phone or cheap camera pretending to be an SLR” I turned off the shutter sounds on any non-SLR cameras I owned. If the thing has no mirrors to flip or audible moving parts then why _sumulate_ what is essentially a necesary evil of having a proper camera?? > > Or ‘simulate’ even. I don’t know if you were being rhetorical, but the answer is “feedback”. A proper camera gives you more feedback in terms of sound and tactile sensation when you take a photograph than your typical soft phone nub. An audio cue is a way of confirming for the user that a photo has been taken. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camera-phone-predator-alert-act-benefits-predators-not-prey/483121/18 "2009-01-27T00:38:41Z")
With my phone I have learnt that covering a certain hole with a finger silences most of the sound plus all you have to do anyway is learn to synchronize a cough. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camera-phone-predator-alert-act-benefits-predators-not-prey/483121/19 "2009-01-27T00:46:26Z")
Why a click? It should be a voice that says “I might be a pervert taking a picture up your skirt!” at a clearly audible volume. That would be great - I would take pictures just to hear it. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camera-phone-predator-alert-act-benefits-predators-not-prey/483121/20 "2009-01-27T00:47:30Z")
> [@sailor](#): > > With my phone I have learnt that covering a certain hole with a finger silences most of the sound plus all you have to do anyway is learn to synchronize a cough. Sounds like my last physical. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camera-phone-predator-alert-act-benefits-predators-not-prey/483121.md?page=2)