<nettime> BBC E-mail: Secret agents raid webcam artist

[Ted Smith]

I don't see how this is illegal -- IANAL, but I doubt that the people
being photographed have any legal basis to prevent that (really? you
think it's illegal for people to be photographed in retail stores?).

The secret service is probably involved because of this:
<http://peoplestaringatcomputers.tumblr.com/post/7255735213>

On Sat, 2011-07-09 at 23:53 +0300, lodewijk andrC) de la porte wrote:
> This kind fellow collected full facial images when people couldn't have
> suspected it. Some argue it's a place where people couldn't reasonably
> expect not to have been photographed, a store doesn't have to be a public
> place however and making the images publicly accessible (via his website
> where people could comment on individual pictures) is something even worse.
>
> His practice is most likely illegal and I can't quite say I like it either.
>
> The only thing strange about it is secret service investigating the case.
> Can't say he did something to the treasury and I think it would've been big
> news if he caught the president (or the likes) in one of the shots.
>
> The EFF's legal advice should always be requestable. I hope not, however,
> that the EFF will take sides with the photographer.
>
> Lewis
>
> 2011/7/9 Eugen Leitl <eugen at leitl.org>
>
> > ----- Forwarded message from Molly Hankwitz <mollyhankwitz at gmail.com>
> > -----
> >
> > From: Molly Hankwitz <mollyhankwitz at gmail.com>
> > Date: Fri, 8 Jul 2011 19:27:15 -0700
> > To: nettime-l at kein.org
> > Subject: <nettime> BBC E-mail: Secret agents raid webcam artist
> > X-Mailer: iPhone Mail (8G4)
> >
> >
> > I saw this story on the BBC News iPhone App and thought you should see
it.
> >
> > ** Secret agents raid webcam artist **
> >
> > The US Secret Service has raided the home of an artist who
> > collected images f= rom webcams in a New York Apple store.
> > <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-14080438 >
> >
> >
> > Kyle McDonald is said to have installed software that photographed
> > people looking at laptops then uploaded the pictures to a website.
> >
> > Mr McDonald said he had obtained permission from a security guard to
> > take photos inside the store.
> >
> > Apple declined to comment. However, the Secret Service confirmed that
> > its electronic crime division was involved.
> >
> > A spokesperson told the BBC that the investigation was taking place
> > under US Code Title 18 /1030 which relates to Fraud and related
> > activity in connection with computers.
> >
> > Offences covered by the legislation carry a maximum penalty of 20
> > years in prison.
> >
> > Writing on Twitter, Mr McDonald said: "@secretservice just stopped by
> > to investigate [web address removed] and took my laptop. Please assume
> > they're reading any e-mails you send me."
> >
> > No arrests had been made in the case as of 8 July.
> >
> > Staring
> >
> > Kyle McDonald's images were uploaded to a page on the blogging site
> > Tumblr. In the description of People Staring at Computers, the project
> > is described as: "A photographic intervention. Custom app installed
> > around NYC, taking a picture every minute and uploading it if a face
> > is found in the image. Exhibited on site with a remotely triggered app
> > that displayed the photos full screen on every available computer."
> >
> > The site features a video and series of photographs, apparently
> > showing shoppers trying-out computers. Comments on the individuals by
> > visitors to the site are also attached to the images. Mr McDonald,
> > writing on Twitter, said that he had been advised not to comment
> > on the case by the online freedom group the Electronic Frontier
> > Foundation.
> >
> >
> > #  distributed via <nettime>: no commercial use without permission
> > #  <nettime>  is a moderated mailing list for net criticism,
> > #  collaborative text filtering and cultural politics of the nets
> > #  more info: http://mx.kein.org/mailman/listinfo/nettime-l
> > #  archive: http://www.nettime.org contact: nettime at kein.org
> >
> > ----- End forwarded message -----
> > --
> > Eugen* Leitl <a href="http://leitl.org">leitl</a> http://leitl.org
> > ______________________________________________________________
> > ICBM: 48.07100, 11.36820 http://www.ativel.com http://postbiota.org
> > 8B29F6BE: 099D 78BA 2FD3 B014 B08A  7779 75B0 2443 8B29 F6BE

[demime 1.01d removed an attachment of type application/pgp-signature which had a name of signature.asc]