"The [Korean] Ministry of Information and Communication yesterday unveiled a plan that would require electronics makers to install a warning sound on camera phones in order to help prevent illicit photographs from being taken in public places.
"Cell phones equipped with digital cameras should emit a 65 decibel beep sound whenever a picture or video is taken, and this sound should not be able to be turned off by individual users," the ministry said in a statement.
The warning sound should be clear and identifiable so that people can notice when they are being photographed, but the new rule will not be applied retroactively to existing camera phones, the ministry said.
The Information Ministry stressed that local handset makers will follow the rule voluntarily, and its earlier plan to ban mobile handsets in public places such as swimming pools has been scrapped due to legal problems.
The restriction on mobile handsets came after some camera-phone users took risque pictures of people and uploaded them on the Web, allowing the rapid spread of such images to a wider audience and undermining the privacy of innocent victims." [Korea Herald]
For people the police regard as "problem snappers," they plan to attach the Wolo "Wolf Call" auto horn to your camera. It "will attract immediate attention with its shrill, extra loud, two (2) tone whistle sound. The Wolf Whistle is built to provide many years of dependable service. Easy to install in any 12 volt vehicle. 103 decibels."
Try it. See if it works for you: "Yes, I'm curious, own a digital camera, and want to hear the horn."
We need this over here in the U.S. I personally would want to be warned if someone were taking my picture with a cell phone. BTW, I like your blog. I'm new here at typepad. You're first on my favorites list.
Posted by: Amanda Roa | 17 November 2003 at 05:18 AM